Emperor's Prophecy
by Silmeria - Archer of Valhalla
Summary: Yuugi Motou didn't mind his Seer abilities while growing up, but when one of his visions saves the life of the current ruler of the Kingdom of Elysian, Atemu, the only way to stop other countries from pursuing him is to...marry Emperor Atemu?
1. Chapter 1

Valkyria : Afternoon everyone. Welcome to our new story : Emperor's Prophecy. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I had typing it. I'm kind of awkward with first chapters and all. So I hope you guys will bear with me.

Griever : She always feels so conflicted with first chapters. It's what hooks a reader to the story after all. It has to be almost perfect in her opinion.

Valkyria : *frowns* It does. It's those first few words in a story that hooks the reader, that's what I think anyway.

Griever : Bah, it's fine and I'm sure the readers will tell you so *looks to readers* won't you?

Valkyria : Just do the disclaimer already! *blushes*

Griever : Alright. We claim no rights to the anime/manga of Yu-gi-oh nor the characters, also some of the last names and words are from _Grey Company._

Beta'd by : Moondalian. Thanks so much!

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><p><em>"Yes, I am a dreamer. For a dreamer is one who can find his way by moonlight, and sees the dawn before the rest of the world." - Oscar Wilde<em>

Chapter One : Saving Graces.

"_The war between the kingdoms of Elysian and Atlantis was one of despair, dominance and greed. It was because of this greed that these two once prosperous kingdoms were brought to the brink of destruction. It was through the people's pleas and the soldier's defiance that this dreadful war was stopped and peace was regained. Weapons were laid to rest, treaties were re-written, and prosperity was regained. I am the last surviving Seer of this restored land. My comrades have perished from battle and pain. As I lie on my deathbed, my body worn from age, let me give the people of Elysian one last decree. __**War will touch these lands again. Not today, nor tomorrow, but centuries later. This war will be fought for the control over a fellow Seer, whose name I will not mention for I will grant all the peace I can until it is that time. He will be protected and loved by the Valiant Emperor, who will sacrifice soul and body to protect the Seer from all harm." **_

_**- **__Last words and visions of Seer Leon von Schroeder._

It was happening _again. _

Yuugi clutched his head tightly and bit his lips to keep himself from screaming from the white-hot pain he was experiencing. He fell to his knees, knocking over the potions he had just created this morning and causing them to shatter on the wooden floor of his bedroom.

The vision flashed through his mind like a picture book.

_A pale-haired, golden-eyed boy pouring something strange into a golden goblet. _

_A tan-skinned, crimson-eyed man with wild hair similar to his own sitting on a golden and onyx throne, his posture was relaxed but regal. _

_The servant handing the crimson-eyed man the drink with the strange concoction mixed in, golden eyes gleaming with barely-suppressed triumph. _

"_Your wine, Your Majesty." _

Yuugi sucked in a pained gasp as the images faded away. He slowly removed his slender hands from his hair and placed them on the floor.

It was at times like these that Yuugi Motou _hated_ his Seer abilities. The pain wasn't new, but there were times when the visions hit him _hard._

Closing his eyes, Yuugi ran through the images that he'd just received. He didn't know who the pale-haired boy was, but he knew who the crimson-eyed man was; anybody would know who that was.

_What was that boy pouring into the Emperor's drink…? _

Yuugi was thrown out of his thoughts when he heard the door to his bedroom creak open and his grandfather's head peaked in.

"Yuugi, are you- what happened? You look like death warmed over, child! Did you have another vision?"

Sugoroku rushed over, all the while avoiding the shards of broken glass, and helped him up from the floor and onto the bed.

"Grandfather." Yuugi whispered, grasping the older man's robes desperately. "You have to warn him _now." _

"Warn? Warn who, my boy?"

"E-Emperor Atemu. He's in danger, Grandpa. There was this boy with pale hair and golden eyes. He put something into the Emperor's drink…I-I don't know what it was-"

Sugoroku grasped his hands tightly and pulled them away. "Stay here. I'll go and deliver the message to a guard." with that his grandfather rushed out of his bedroom and down the stairs.

After what felt like an eternity, he heard his grandfather's shouts from his open window. Yuugi stood up on shaky legs and made his way towards the window and peeked out to see the elderly man arguing with some nearby guards.

"Please, you must listen to me! Emperor Atemu is in danger!"

"How do I know this to be true? Where did you get this information from? It could be misleading and for all we know _you _could be plotting against the Emperor yourself!"

Yuugi saw his grandfather's face scrunch up in frustration and Yuugi knew that the elderly man would have to tell them his secret or else the guards would not believe him.

They had hidden the fact that he was a Seer since he was eight years old. It wasn't that hard of a secret to keep since Seers were barely seen these days. Despite this, Sugoroku had been firm about keeping quiet about it. The last known Seer had died over three hundred years ago only leaving behind a journal that described the war between the Kingdoms of Elysian and Atlantis and one last prophecy. Only the royal family and the Council of Val'ista were allowed to see this prophecy.

"Your grandson is a Seer? Why didn't you say so in the first place! Honda! Hurry to the palace and alert the elite guards and tell them to be on the lookout for a servant with pale hair and golden eyes!"

"Sir!"

Watching the guard rush away, Yuugi finally allowed himself to close his eyes in relief and exhaustion. He had done his job. The Emperor was going to be saved and the would-be assassin would be arrested and most likely executed.

Yuugi would later on admit to only himself that being a Seer was sometimes one of the worst and best abilities that the Gods could bless you with.

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><p>Emperor Atemu Faenor took his duties as ruler of the Kingdom of Elysian very serious. He had always been taught that the people's happiness always came before his own. Since he'd been given the throne at the age of sixteen, he'd done his best to restore the Kingdom to its former glory; the glory of before the previous Council of Val'ista had taken over.<p>

Atemu had established alliances with the Kingdoms of Atlantis and Sylvantia and had gained the loyalty of his soldiers and the newly formed Council of Val'ista. All of these things were something not even his father had been able to accomplish.

Though proud of himself for accomplishing these things, Atemu would admit, albeit only to himself, that he was lonely and longed to have someone to share his success with, to hold at night, and to rule this vast kingdom alongside him with.

At the age of twenty-three, he had yet to find a bride or groom and had an ominous feeling that time was running out for him and his Kingdom.

"….the Headmaster of Mage Academy would like you to attend this year's graduation, Your Majesty. He says that this year's batch of mages is the best he has seen in years."

Atemu allowed a deep chuckle to escape his throat. "I am not surprised to hear those words from Headmaster Hawkins, especially since his granddaughter is graduating from the academy this year."

The large double doors to the throne room creaked open and a servant stepped in and bowed deeply before walking towards him.

"Yes?" Atemu asked quietly, eyeing the servant with wariness creeping into his bones. He had never seen this servant before and Atemu made a habit of learning every single of the staff's faces.

The servant kept his head lowered but not low enough that Atemu couldn't see his face or his eyes, which were an enchanting amber color.

_Such a rare eye color, especially for a fellow Elysian… _

The servant kept his head lowered. "My name is Alistair, Your Majesty, and I will be serving you today. I have brought wine for you and High Lord Kaiba."

"I did request something to drink to be brought to us before I came here." Seto spoke up quietly, but Atemu did not miss the suspicion in his cousin's voice.

"Your Majesty?" Alistair questioned curiously. "Does this not satisfy you? What is it that you desire?"

"The wine is fine. Thank you Alistair." Atemu reached over, grabbed both goblets off the silver tray, and handed one to Seto.

"You are dismissed." Seto ordered firmly, taking the offered wine.

Alistair bowed deeply. "Your Majesty. High Lord Kaiba. I take my leave of you."

Atemu tapped his ringed fingers against the goblet and watched as Alistair quietly left the throne room. Only when the double door slammed shut did he turn to Seto, who had yet to take a drink from the wine.

"Is something wrong?" Atemu asked, "You are not usually rude to the servants."

"I am not rude with the servants I am familiar with. That Alistair is someone I have not yet seen before."

Atemu had put the rim of the goblet to his mouth when the door of the throne room burst open and a haggard-looking guard came rushing in with two others behind him dragging Alistair, who was scratching and screaming to be released

"What is the meaning of this?" Seto roared, striding forward. "What are you doing to that servant?"

A brunet guard bowed deeply. "Your Majesty, I am Corporal Hiroto Honda of the Eastern Sector Patrol. I was given information that this servant is an assassin."

Both of Atemu's eyebrows shot up at the accusation. "And where, pray tell, did you come across this information, Corporal Hiroto?"

Honda swallowed. "…from a man who claimed his grandson is a Seer."

"And you believed the ramblings of an old man?" Seto drawled sarcastically. "There has not been a Seer for over three hundred years, Corporal."

"I-I am aware of this, High Lord Seto, but we could not take the risk."

"Understandable." Atemu cut in. "Tell me, Corporal Hiroto, what was the method of assassination?"

"The elderly man said that something was put into the very goblet you are holding, Your Majesty."

For the first time since he was a small child, Atemu felt a trickle of dread flow through him as he stared down at the goblet of wine he was holding in his hands.

"Seto." Atemu forced down the tremor in his voice, handing his cousin the goblet. "A detection spell, if you would."

He felt Seto's steady fingers take the goblet from him. "As you wish, Your Majesty."

Atemu felt the air around him shift and grow heavy as Seto whispered the words of the spell, his mind too far gone to understand the words.

"It is done, Your Majesty."

Taking the goblet back, Atemu peered into it to see that the wine had turned into a dark green. A snarl escaped his throat before he threw the goblet harshly against the wall, causing the poisoned wine to spill out and erode the floor.

Atemu looked back to see the guards struggling to restrain Alistair. He rose from the throne and descended the steps.

"Bind him." he ordered firmly. "If you're having trouble with that frail-looking servant then all of you need to go back to training!"

The air shifted again and turned hot as the two guards quickly muttered a binding spell. Alistair quickly froze in place. Atemu held back the urge to strangle the servant-turned-assassin as those golden eyes held no trace of fear for the fate he was about to meet.

"Who sent you?" Atemu demanded. "What country wishes to suffer my Kingdom's wrath?"

Those golden eyes gleamed with triumph as if he'd succeeded in assassinating Atemu. "I'm not telling you anything, Your Majesty…"

Before Atemu could ask again, Seto bent beside Alistair and gripped the assassins chin in his hand for a moment before releasing it.

"He is under a spell." Seto said, staring down at Alistair. "Look at his eyes, Your Majesty. The way they are glazed over and his pupils are slightly dilated easily gives it away."

Without a word, Atemu bent down and placed his hand on Alistair's forehead. He closed his eyes and brought the energy in the air and inside him out, ignoring the grunts of surprise coming from the guards at the suddenly heavy air around them.

"_Release him. Unshackle the bonds on this child's mind. Free his mind from the control of this spell." _

When Atemu opened his eyes, he gave a sharp gasp as Alistair's once pale hair turned into a luminous turquoise and his once amber eyes turned into a stunning shade of blue. Atemu slowly rose and turned to Seto, who had gone alarmingly pale.

"_N-Noah…" _

"Y-Your Majesty?" Honda's uncertain voice came flooding back. "What shall we do with him?"

Keeping a careful eye on Seto, Atemu spoke, "Corporal, I want you to find Colonel Bakura Firimar. He should be in the training quarters with a new squad. Tell him to come to the throne room immediately."

Honda rose and bowed towards Atemu and cast Noah an uncertain look before dashing off.

"As for the rest of you, take this boy to the interrogation room for now. Place a strong barrier around it; I will be there shortly."

"Majesty!"

He turned towards Seto, who was staring blankly towards the door that his long-lost cousin had just gone through. If the situation had been any different, Atemu would have teased Seto about how dazed and lost he looked.

"Will you be alright?" It wasn't the best thing to say, but for the first time Atemu didn't have any words to offer his cousin.

"…I don't understand." Seto said so softly that Atemu had to strain to hear him. "Where has Noah been for the past three years? I thought he was dead. W-what happened? Why did he try to assassinate you?"

Atemu's lips thinned. "I do not know, Seto. But we will find out soon enough. I need you to focus, Seto-"

"You called?" a rough voice asked from behind. Atemu turned to see Bakura dressed in a simple black shirt and khaki's with his hair tied into a low ponytail.

"Yes. I assume Corporal Hiroto has explained the situation to you?"

Bakura scowled. "That some brat tried to poison you? Yeah, he also explained that a Seer is loose in the city. Is it true? About the Seer?"

Atemu crossed his arms over his chest. "That is why I called you here, Bakura. I need you to head to the Eastern Sector of the city, find this Seer, and bring him back to me."

"You are worried about the prophecy?" Seto spoke up quietly. "I understand that, Atemu, but what will bringing him to the palace accomplish?"

"Protection." Bakura said simply. "I have not read this so called prophecy that is passed through your bloodline, Atemu, but I assume that is why you want the boy here?"

"Indeed. I want him found as quickly as possible, Bakura."

"Pushing it much, Your Majesty."

"Now is not the time for games. I want him found and secured within the palace."

"No worries, Your Majesty. It shall be done with my usual finesse."

* * *

><p>A gentle caress through his hair caused Yuugi to slowly open his eyes and let a small moan escape his parched lips.<p>

How long had he been asleep this time?

"Look! Gramps, he's awake!"

Jounouchi? It had to be. No one was that loud in the morning.

"Keep your voice down, Katsuya!" Sugoroku scolded harshly. "The vision was much harsher this time and most likely caused my boy a lot more pain."

"Sorry, Gramps. I'll try to keep it down. Do you need anything?"

"Bring some water and fruit. It's the only thing he can keep down after having a vision."

"Right."

Even as Jou's footsteps faded away, Yuugi kept his eyes closed. He didn't want to face his grandfather or the world right now. He knew that his grandfather would want to talk about his latest vision; the older man always did.

"Open your eyes, child. I've raised you since you were a babe so I know when you're actually asleep and when you're faking it."

Taking a deep, silent breath, Yuugi opened his eyes and turned to stare into his grandfather's similar amethyst eyes, relieved when he found the familiar love and patience that was always there.

"Are you feeling better? That was quite an ordeal you know. It scared me to death when I came back to find you unconscious. And hanging out the window no less!"

A small, weak laugh escaped Yuugi's throat and he gave his grandfather a cheeky grin. "I'm sorry, grandpa. I didn't mean to give you even more gray hairs."

"Oh, you must be feeling better if you're already giving me your usual cheeky comments."

Their laughter died down and a comfortable silence drifted over them. Yuugi turned his gaze back out of the open window and sighed at the cool breeze that was coming through. It was a little chilly, telling him that fall was almost here.

"Is.." Yuugi licked his lips before starting again. "Is Emperor Faenor well? Is he still alive?"

"All is well." Sugoroku whispered, patting Yuugi on the shoulder before pulling away. "Rumors of the assassination attempt are all over the city. The guard has enforced a curfew for the upcoming days until everyone calms down."

"All over the city..? Grandpa, how long have I been out?"

"Just over a day. Word spreads quickly despite how large this city is, my boy."

"Do they know about-"

"Grandpa!" Jounouchi called, his usually confident voice filled with a tinge of fear. "You better get down here!"

"What has that boy done now?" Sugoroku muttered unhappily before rising from his chair. "You get some more rest, Yuugi. I'll go see what's wrong."

"Oh, I'll go with you." Yuugi said as he rose from the bed, only to have Sugoroku push him back down again. "Grandpa! I'm fine, really! I'm used to this by now!"

"Regardless of if you're used to it or not, you still need your rest. Stay still, I'll be right back."

Pouting, Yuugi placed the covers up to his chin and watched as his grandfather slipped out of his room and down the stairs.

He hoped everything was alright.

"Katsuya? What is the matter? What's got you in…" Sugoroku stopped when he spotted a white-haired male sitting at the kitchen table with his feet propped up. Jou was leaning against the counter, his usually mischievous eyes wide with fear.

"Who are you and why have you invaded my home?"

"I am Colonel Bakura Firimar: Second-in-Command to the Imperial Elysian Forces. You are former Council member Sugoroku Motou, are you not?"

"That is correct, though I left that part of my life behind. I'll ask you again, why are you here?"

Bakura chuckled. "We are going to play it that way, are we? You know damn well why I am here. Hiding something like this from the Emperor should be considered treason."

"I am well within my rights."

"Not anymore. Sugoroku Motou, by the orders of Emperor Atemu Faenor, you are to hand over your grandson Yuugi Motou."

"And if I don't?" Sugoroku challenged.

Bakura gave the older man a dark smirk and pulled his blade from its sheath. "Then it is considered treason and I will execute you right now and take the Seer by force."

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><p>AN : Well? How did you like it? I'm glad that I was able to get this out early! The updates for Emperor's Prophecy will not be as set as the updates for Caged. So please, be patient okay? Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

Valkyria : Hello. Hello. Welcome to Chapter Two of Emperor's Prophecy.

Griever : We're glad you guys enjoy the first chapter of the story.

Beta'd by : Moondalian. Thanks a bunch!

Disclaimer : We claim no rights to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh, just the plot.

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><p><em>"People ask me to predict the future, when all I want to do is prevent it. Better yet, build it. Predicting the future is much too easy, anyway. You look at the people around you, the street you stand on, the visible air you breathe, and predict more of the same. To hell with more. I want better. " - Ray Bradbury, Beyond 1984 : The Peoples Machine.<em>

Chapter Two : First Impressions.

The thought of meeting Emperor Atemu Faenor had never once crossed Yuugi's mind. He didn't know anything about the man other than the fact that he was a kind and just ruler. He had been surprised when Jou had burst into his room looking alarmingly pale with a mysterious white-haired man who looked rough around the edges.

The man had introduced himself as Bakura Firimar and had quickly explained that the Emperor wanted to see him immediately.

Yuugi hadn't needed any further explanation beyond that.

He had been told to get dressed quickly and come downstairs when he was ready to go. While dressing in a simple pair of light brown trousers and white, long-sleeved shirt, his entire body shook with fear. Yuugi knew perfectly well what the Emperor was planning to ask him.

It was a firm rule within the kingdom of Elysian that all magic users of any kind be registered with the Magi Order so that they would know what kind of mages were running through lands of Elysian.

Yuugi was supposed to be registered under Ethos Being; a non-elemental type, Ethos Beings were anything ranging from telepaths to seers such as himself. Sugoroku had told him that there was no need for him to register because his Seer abilities were not very strong.

He doubted that the Emperor was going to believe such an excuse.

"Hurry along." Bakura murmured beside him. "Night falls quickly and I don't want to have to deal with whatever comes out."

"His Majesty could not have sent transportation?" Sugoroku asked with a heavy frown. "It is not healthy for my grandson to be walking in his current state."

"I apologize for myself and on behalf of Emperor Faenor. I did not know your grandson would be in such a weakened state after receiving a vision or else I would have had a carriage brought with me."

"There is one other thing you should apologize for." Yuugi muttered. "If I remember correctly, it is not punishable by death to hide your abilities from the Magi Order, so you had no right to threaten my grandfather in such a manner."

He had come downstairs after he'd finished dressing to overhear Bakura threatening his grandfather –for the second time he was later told by Jou- that by hiding him he was, in turn, committing treason against the Emperor.

"I will not apologize to your grandfather for my threats towards him." Bakura said firmly. "It seems that you do not know your grandfather as well as you should. He is well aware of what it means for this kingdom- no all of the kingdoms- to discover that we have Seer amongst us once again."

"Does the Emperor condone such actions?" Yuugi countered with a frown, confused by Bakura's statement. "Invading our home and our livelihood with blade in hand?"

"No." Bakura replied. "But I will do what I must to carry out the Emperor's orders. And I will strike down those who would wish him harm."

Though Yuugi disapproved of Bakura's ways. He would admit that he did admire the man's fierce loyalty.

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><p>The Council of Val'ista consisted of former high mages and veteran soldiers that Atemu had chosen personally. He had made sure that the leader of these wise men and women was someone that he could trust with his very life.<p>

Face still ashen from earlier events, Seto Kaiba sat at the head of the long circular table, lips thinned and eyes dark with worry and anger.

"Your Majesty," a council member spoke from his right, "I am glad to see you in good health. Praise the gods above that dreadful assassin did not succeed."

Atemu did not miss Seto's well-hidden flinch at Yoshimori's comment. The man was indeed sincere and naïve in his worries for he did not know of Noah and Seto's relation to each other.

"Thank you." Turning back to Seto, he found his cousin staring at him intently as if he knew what question he was going to ask.

"Has he spoken?"

"Yes." Raphael, a veteran soldier, responded. "The child says the last thing he remembers is going to class three years ago before being swept off the Mage Academy grounds."

"He didn't see who the assailant was?" Mai Kujaku asked, her violet eyes not hiding the power she possessed as a high mage, nor the curiosity for the events that had been lain in their laps.

"The assailant came up from behind him and apparently used a sleeping spell." Shada put in mildly. "Noah Kaiba was second in his class during his short time at the Mage Academy."

"Kaiba?" Yoshimori blurted out in bewilderment before turning to Seto. "You are related to that child?"

"Noah Kaiba is Seto's first cousin." Atemu spoke up before Seto could. "Therefore, Noah Kaiba is related to me and of royal blood."

"Could that be the reason he was kidnapped?" Mai wondered out loud. "It would make sense if that were the case."

"No." Seto said suddenly, causing all eyes to turn to him. "That was not the case, of that I am sure. No one knew of Noah's relation to His Majesty. It was most likely because he is related to me. My father had a large number of enemies and what better way to cause him pain than to kidnap his nephew and cause friction between brothers?"

Mai clicked her tongue in sympathy and disgust. "Akunadin did indeed have a large number of enemies, may his soul rest in peace."

"If I may make a suggestion, Your Majesty?" Yoshimori spoke up. "We could do a mind synch? -"

"No!" Seto roared, standing up and knocking over his chair in the process. "I will not allow my cousin to go through such a ordeal! He has been through enough!"

"You know the dangers of a mind synch, Yoshimori." Raphael said. "Though it was awfully brave for you to bring it up. You must want to volunteer to do the job?"

As Atemu expected, a heavy silence followed Raphael's question. Performing a mind synch could put both participants in danger. The caster would infiltrate the other's mind using an astral projection of him- or herself and would explore it, looking for anything they desired. There were dangers to this though. The caster could and sometimes did end up getting lost within the other's mind, even adopting traits.

"No." Atemu spoke up, "I will not have anyone, no matter how skilful they are with magic, to perform a mind synch."

"Then what do you plan to do with Noah Kaiba, Your Majesty?" Shada questioned. "I am sorry for the tragedy that the child has lived through but this cannot go unpunished. The people of Elysian will be out for this Noah's blood if that is so."

"I will continue the interrogations for now." Atemu decided, giving Seto a apologetic look. "Noah will be kept under lock and key until I am certain that he is no longer a threat to anyone. Mai, I want some of your best mages working on him to assure that whatever brainwashing was used is completely wiped from his mind."

"Yes, Your Majesty. I will get right on it."

"You have sent Colonel Firimar to retrieve him?" Raphael asked, swiftly changing the subject.

"So it is true." Mai purred with delight. "A Seer after three hundred long years."

"Do not be so excited, Mai." Shada scolded lightly. "You know what comes after the finding of this Seer."

"I have read Seer Leon von Schroeder's journal and am well aware of what is coming to our lands. However, I cannot help but be excited. We have never witnessed the power of a Seer and we only have history pages to tell us what they were like, so this is a grand opportunity."

"Do you plan to keep him here, Your Majesty?" Yoshimori asked. "The kingdoms of Atlantis and Sylvantia will become cautious of us if we were to keep this from them."

"This is no business of theirs." Seto said firmly. "The Seer was born within the kingdom of Elysian, therefore we have full rights to him."

"Do not speak of him as if he were some property Seto." Atemu reprimanded sternly. "The Seer is to be treated with the utmost respect. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Atemu opened his mouth to speak again when a loud knock echoed through out the silent chamber.

"Enter." Atemu called out.

The doors creaked open and a weary guard stepped through. "Your Majesty. Colonel Firimar has arrived with your guests."

"Thank you, please Colonel Firimar to place them in the throne room. I shall be there shortly."

The guard bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty. I take my leave."

"Shall we accompany you?" Mai asked once the guard had left the room. "I would like to meet him."

"It would be best if I met him alone." Atemu said, standing up from his chair. "I expect a report from you later, Mai, on Noah's welfare. This meeting is adjourned."

* * *

><p>The Celestial Palace was a magnificent work of art and magic that was made up of white stone and marble. It consisted of several small and large buildings, connected by long hallways and transportation runes. It reminded Yuugi of a large labyrinth. He didn't doubt for one second that without Bakura, he would get hopelessly lost.<p>

The only entry point was a large stone bridge that connected the city and palace together. If there were any other entry points other than that, he hadn't seen them and he had a feeling that Bakura would rather jump on his own sword than reveal them.

They had made it across the bridge just as night fell and Yuugi had been relieved when they had entered the main hall. His feet had been aching and no doubt they had blisters on them.

"What do you think?" Bakura asked from beside him. "Nice place eh?"

Yuugi cast a quick look around and wasn't surprised at the fine floors that shined under the lights or the elaborate staircase that led up to the upper floors. He imagined servants running left and right during breakfast and lunch hours, cleaning and serving nobles and soldiers anything they desired.

"It's beautiful." Yuugi replied, finally turning back to his escort and grandfather. "Will we be meeting the Emperor now?"

"Yes." Bakura replied, nodding his head towards the stairs. "The throne room is just a couple of floors up."

"More walking?" Yuugi moaned. "Why can't we use a transportation rune? I saw a couple on the way in."

"There are no transportation runes leading directly to the throne room from the first floor." Bakura explained. "It would be too easy to gain access to the Emperor otherwise."

"That does make sense." Yuugi said, before he started up the stairs, ignoring the pain in his feet. He didn't want to think about the trek back home he would have to make later.

"By the way, never come up to these floors without the proper authorization."

"Why?"

Bakura gave the both of them a dark smirk. "The magic in the air here is very active, making casting very easy. We also use the free energy as a defensive mechanism. If you are not allowed on these floors then the magical energy will take the oxygen from your lungs, making it harder to breathe. The force of the magical energy will also crush you to death."

"That doesn't sound too pleasant." Yuugi remarked carefully. He didn't know why Bakura was giving him all of this information; Ii wouldn't matter later on. It wasn't as if he'd be staying or anything.

He felt a hand grab the back of his cloak roughly. He glanced over his shoulder to see Bakura raising an eyebrow at him.

"You passed it." Bakura said, gently dragging him back and setting him in front of a set of double doors.

Yuugi blinked and fought the urge to tell Bakura that for a throne room entrance, it certainly looked plain. He watched as the older man placed his hand against the door and pushed it open.

"You go on alone from here." Bakura said firmly, nudging him into the doorway.

Yuugi cast a panicked look at his grandfather, who smiled sadly at him.

"I'm sorry, my boy. I'm afraid he is correct. You aren't very attuned to magic so you didn't feel it, but when we entered the palace the magic that is here surrounded you and gave you access to every part of the palace, including the throne room. I was only able to get so close because Bakura here is with me."

"T-that doesn't make any sense! Are you telling me that this palace is alive?"

"Sounds absurd, doesn't it?" Bakura remarked casually. "But it is true. This palace has been like this for generations. There have been cases where the damn thing kicked out people it didn't like. Now, go on. You mustn't keep the Emperor waiting."

Before he could ask anythiing else, Yuugi was harshly pushed all the way into the throne room, the door shutting harshly in his face.

"Talk about rude..." Yuugi muttered.

"You are the Seer, correct?" a deep, smooth voice asked.

Yuugi whirled around to see a taller, tan version of himself standing behind him. His look-alike was adorned in a long-sleeved black shirt, leather pants and boots, and a dark, scarlet-red cloak with silver runes sewn in that barely hid all of this. Looking into familiar, crimson eyes, Yuugi felt his entire body start to shake.

He couldn't believe that he was standing in front of the Emperor himself!

Remembering his manners, Yuugi quickly bowed. "M-my name is Yuugi Motou, Your Majesty. I-I am p-please t-too meet-"

"Enough."

Yuugi pressed his lips together to keep himself from babbling like a silly fool. He jolted backwards when he felt a warm hand on his shoulder.

"There is no need to be frightened." Atemu soothed. "I have a few questions that I want to ask you. I trust Bakura escorted you here safely enough?"

Remembering the way Bakura had introduced himself to him and his grandfather along with Jou caused Yuugi to frown heavily. This response seemed enough for Atemu.

"…Bakura has a different meaning of finesse. I deeply apologize if he offended you."

"No disrespect to you, Your Majesty, but I think he owes my grandfather an apology. He did, after all, accuse him with treason and threaten him with death."

"I shall talk to Bakura about his behavior at a later date. You, on the other hand, I have something to discuss with now. If you would walk with me?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Following behind the Emperor, Yuugi took the chance to look around. The floor was made of onyx, shined to perfection and covered by a thin, navy-blue and gold carpet. The walls were lined with windows which were covered by heavy curtains made of velvet and colored a deep black. The only light was coming from the torches that were placed on the columns in the corners of the room and a beautiful, crystal chandelier placed in the middle of the ceiling.

They both stopped before two thrones that were both made out of gold and onyx with two very comfortable-looking red, velvet cushions.

Yuugi blinked in surprise when Atemu simply passed by the thrones and continued onwards to a door that was hidden behind them.

"Come." Atemu commanded, opening the door. "We still have a ways to go."

"W-where are we going?" Yuugi asked softly, not moving from his spot beside the thrones.

"To my office." Atemu responded, moving out of the way. "I do not want any prying eyes or ears. I have told you before, I am not going to hurt you, Yuugi."

"I know that!" Yuugi blurted out. He felt heat rush to face when Atemu simply raised an eyebrow at him.

"Then we do not have a problem." Atemu waved his hand towards the empty, dark hallway. "After you."

* * *

><p>"This place is nothing like I remember it to be." Sugoroku commented quietly.<p>

Bakura snorted and leaned back against the couch. He had taken the both of them to a drawing room close to the entrance of the palace to wait for the Emperor and Yuugi to return, but Bakura had a feeling that it would indeed be a long wait.

"The air around you always feels better when there is less corruption about." Bakura replied after a short pause. "You have not told your grandson about your time here as a Council member?"

"There are many things I have not told my grandson." Sugoroku said and released a weary sigh. "It shames me that Yuugi thinks the world of me when I have been lying to him almost his entire life."

"I do not know you as well as some of the others that reside in the palace but I can tell that you are a good man and an even better grandfather. I'm sure Yuugi thinks the same."

Sugoroku threw his head back in laughter before he erupted in a rough coughing fit. Bakura smoothly stood and fetched a bottle of water that was sitting on a small table. Pouring a glass, he walked back over and handed it to the older man.

"Thank you." As Sugoroku moved to take the glass, Bakura's hand shot out and grasped Sugoroku's other wrist and pulled the worn sleeve up to reveal several purplish-orange runes.

"No wonder the palace didn't recognize your familiar, magical signature." Bakura hissed, releasing Sugoroku's arm. "Your body is degrading from the Twilight Plague. What stage are you in?"

Sugoroku released a bitter chuckle. "The final one."

"You should be dead." Bakura stated bluntly. "Bedridden at least."

The Twilight Plague was a horrible disease. Its very name made mages of all kinds cringe in fear. It had appeared during the war between Elysian and Atlantis, steadily wiping out mages from both sides and severely weakening both armies. It attacked one's magical system first, gradually depleting it. As the stages progressed, runes the color of the sky during a setting sun appeared upon your skin, marking you and making family and allies weary of you. The end result was a death as a normal man and an outcast to mages.

"Do not look at me with pity in your eyes, child." Sugoroku said, giving Bakura another bitter smile. "The only reason that I am not in my grave right now is because I am using whatever magic that resides in my body to hold the disease off."

"What ability do you have?" Bakura questioned curiously, finally tearing his eyes away from the older man's rune-riddled arm.

"I control the power of Time. My body is surrounded by a barrier that slows the progression of the disease down."

"Isn't that dangerous?" Time magic was indeed rare, not only because it was dangerous magic, but also because there was no one left to teach it.

"Indeed it is." Sugoroku said softly, setting the now empty glass aside. "But I will do what I can to see my grandson off to a happy, bright future."

Bakura forced down a snarl. That was a blatant lie and they both knew it. There was no happy future for Yuugi, not when the Council and Emperor knew that he was a Seer.

"It…will be a very long time before anyone has a happy future, Sugoroku." Bakura forced out through clenched teeth.

Sugoroku gave him such a sad smile that it wanted to make Bakura, who had a heart of steel, shed tears.

"Then I will bear this pain until that happy future comes to this land."

* * *

><p>"Please, take a seat."<p>

Yuugi slowly eased into the chair that was offered to him. They had made it to the Emperor's office, which was on the utmost top floor of the Palace.

"I am curious about something, Yuugi." Atemu began once he had sat down. "Why have you hidden yourself for so long?"

"I-I didn't hide myself-."

"Not registering with the Magi Order is, in fact, hiding yourself and your abilities, young one." Atemu cut in sharply.

"Why am I so important?" Yuugi asked with a bit of curiosity and weariness. "I know Seers are rare, but my visions have never been anything special…"

"I am afraid that I am going to have to disagree with you on that, little one." Atemu leaned forward on the desk and folded his fingers together under his chin. "Your latest vision was quite special. It saved my life just in the nick of time."

"Is that why I was summoned here, Your Majesty?"

"It is part of the reason. I wanted to thank you for what you have done, young one. If not for you I would not have been alive, talking to you right now."

To say that Yuugi was overwhelmed at the Emperor himself thanking him for something would be an understatement.

"I-I was happy to help, Your Majesty."

Atemu gave him a small smile before continuing. "The other reason as to why I called you here is to inform you that I think it would be best if you remained in the palace from now on-"

"Wait, what?" Yuugi blurted out, cutting off Atemu's words. "Y-you can't be serious."

"It is too dangerous for you to be outside the palace, young one." Atemu explained firmly. "Do you even know what you mean to this kingdom?"

"No," Yuugi swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. "No one took the time to inform me, actually."

"Then allow me to explain. You have heard of the last Seer, Leon von Schroeder, correct?"

"Yes, I have heard of him. I don't know much about him except for the fact that he left a journal and a prophecy behind."

"That's a start." Atemu muttered, rising from his chair and walking up to the bookcase that was near the window. He pulled out a small leather-bound book that was extremely worn and walked back towards his desk.

"This." Atemu started, sitting back down. "Is Leon von Schroeder's journal, which also has his last prophecy."

Yuugi reached over to touch it, looking up for permission to do so. When Atemu nodded his head Yuugi cautiously took the small journal in his hands. He could not believe that he was holding the journal of one of the most powerful Seers to have ever lived.

"To divert panic among the people, this journal has only been read by the royal family and the Council of Val'ista. We never believed that the Seer would come during our lifetime, but it would appear that we were wrong."

"…I discovered my Seer abilities when I was just eight years old. My first vision was of my grandmother's death."

"I am sorry," Atemu whispered with slight pity, "that your first experience with such a blessed gift had to be the death of a loved one."

"Thank you. What happens now, Your Majesty?"

"As I stated before, I think it would be best if you would remain here in the palace. Word has already spread of your appearance and the attempt to take my life."

Yuugi gripped the journal until his hands turned white. "May I return home first, Your Majesty? To retrieve my things and to say good-bye to my friends?"

Atemu shook his head and smiled. "It is not a goodbye, Yuugi. This is only temporary. As for you returning home and retrieving your things, yes you may. I will be sending Bakura with you again. He is a man I trust with my life. I will apologize to your grandfather for his behavior. What is his name?"

"Sugoroku. Sugoroku Motou."

Atemu jolted backwards as if he had been slapped across the face. "Pardon? Sugoroku you said?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. Is there something the matter?"

Atemu frowned and stood from his seat. "No, nothing is the matter, little one. Your grandfather's name sounds familiar. Did he come with you?"

"Yes, he did. He did not want me to come alone because I was still feeling weak from receiving my vision."

"The visions hurt you?"

"Sometimes. Nothing too bad." Yuugi lied. The Emperor was so kind to him. Somewhat demanding, but still kind. He did not wish to burden the older man with his pain.

"I see…" Atemu mumbled. "Come, little one. I will escort you back to your grandfather. I wish to meet him and ask a few questions."

At Atemu's words, Yuugi felt a clammy hand wrap around his heart. He didn't want his grandfather to get in trouble for not registering him and hiding him.

"No harm shall come to him." Atemu spoke up, reading his mind. "That I promise."

Heart still beating harshly against his ribcage, Yuugi nodded his head and followed Atemu out of the office.

* * *

><p>-End Chapter Two-<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

Valkyria : Good morning/afternoon/evening whichever time zone you're in. Welcome to Chapter Three of Emperor's Prophecy.

Griever : We are immensely happy that you guys are enjoying the story thus far. And we hope that you'll like this latest chapter!

Disclaimer : We claim no rights to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh.

**Beta'd by : Moondalian. **

**Current Song : Sacred Hymn by Yasunori Mitsuda**

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><p>"<em>When a great truth once gets abroad in the world, no power on earth can imprison it, or prescribe its limits, or suppress it. It is bound to go on till it becomes the thought of the world." - Fredrick Douglas.<em>

Chapter Three: Wildfire.

"I want you to take this." Atemu placed the worn journal into Yuugi's smaller hands. "Leon von Schroeder saved all of Elysian with his visions. I am ashamed to say that in return for his bravery, we mistreated the Seers for all of their hard work. I want you to read this and learn of the prophecy that Leon has left us. This is not only for your sake, but for the kingdom as well."

Yuugi caressed the worn cover cautiously. "You cannot tell me the prophecy yourself, Your Majesty? I do not wish to take something this precious out of the safety of the palace."

Atemu gently nudged Yuugi forward leading him away from the throne room and towards the stairs . "It would be best if you would read it yourself, Yuugi. This will give you some insight on the responsibilities of being a Seer and the experiences that Leon had during the war. As for the journal leaving the protection of the palace, you needn't worry about that. The journal has several layers of magic protecting it, placed on it by the previous rulers of Elysian -including myself- It can never be burned nor stolen."

"Oh." Yuugi stared down at the journal in awe. "But it looks so normal…"

"Looks can be deceiving. I am surprised that you cannot feel the magic that is emanating from it. It is designed to be faint, but it is still there."

Yuugi felt heat rushing to his face at the curiosity in the Emperor's voice. It had always been embarrassing for him to admit his flaws to other people.

"I-I cannot feel magic, Your Majesty." Yuugi said, keeping his eyes glued to the onyx floor. "Though I am a Seer, I cannot feel magical energy."

"Your grandfather never taught you? Does he have any abilities of his own?"

"I-" Yuugi shook his head, he had never bothered to ask his grandfather what kind of abilities he had. "I do not know."

Atemu watched intently as Yuugi gripped the journal until his knuckles became white. He decided that it would be best to avoid any more questions about Sugoroku for the time being. It seemed that Yuugi was becoming agitated the more he pried. It was strange, though, that Yuugi knew nothing about his grandfather or why he was not able to feel magic.

_Such a simple ability not being taught to someone who has been blessed as you, young one, is suspicious indeed. _

As they descended to the second floor, a guard rushed towards them and bowed deeply. "Your Majesty? Colonel Firimar has told me to inform you that he awaits you in the drawing room on the first floor together with Seer Yuugi Motou's grandfather."

Yuugi closed his eyes in resignation at the title the guard had addressed him with. He remembered grandfather telling him that word of Atemu's assassination attempt had spread throughout the city, so it was no surprise that the same had happened in the palace.

"Thank you for informing me," Atemu said. "You are dismissed."

The guard rose, bowing towards them once more before departing.

Atemu gave him an apologetic smile. "As you can see, word has already spread about you."

"I expected everyone to hear about the attempt on your life, Your Majesty, but how do they know about me?"

Atemu gave him a grim frown. "Unfortunately, the guards and servants' mouths are a little too loose. Even I cannot control their whispers. If you are in the right place at the right time it would be simple to find out whatever information you desired. This is exactly why I want you inside the palace walls so that you can be protected."

"Even so, I do not wish to be protected, Your Majesty." Yuugi said. "I-I wish-"

"That you had never told your grandfather about your vision." Atemu finished his thought smoothly.

Yuugi's head shot up and he met the Emperor's blank crimson eyes. He turned away and shook his head in denial. "Y-Your Majesty, that is not what I wanted to say. If given the opportunity I would do the same thing all over again. You are a kind man and you have treated me as an equal, though we are not. I never thought we would meet like this I-"

Yuugi's words came to an abrupt halt when he felt Atemu's warm hand on his arm. He looked up to see that the Emperor's eyes had softened in understanding.

"You thought that I would not pursue you in this manner. That I would never question who this mysterious Seer was that had saved my life."

_Yes!_Yuugi wanted to say, but kept his mouth shut as the Emperor continued speaking.

"I am sorry, young one, but I could not do that. Though I am eternally grateful to you for your swift decision, I cannot let this matter go. You are the Seer of the kingdom of Elysian. You will receive unprecedented praise for your deeds once the people stare upon you, and you will learn that people are jealous and will try to hurt you. This, this is why I want to have you here where I can keep an eye on you. Do you understand what I am trying to tell you Yuugi?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Yuugi whispered, desperately trying to keep the tremble out of his voice. "I understand."

Atemu stared at him for a moment more before continuing down the hall. Yuugi waited a second more before trailing behind the older man.

Protected. Praise. Responsibility. He didn't want to be praised, nor did he want to be protected or have the so called responsibilities of becoming the Seer of the kingdom. He just wanted his life back, the days of when he had helped his grandfather in their potions shop or when he had helped Jou study the different types of blades as he readied himself to inherit his father's weapons shop.

**_Those days are gone now. _**his conscious whispered. **_You're Seer Yuugi Motou. That is your new title. Your new life. _**

Yuugi pushed those thoughts away and increased his pace until he was side by side with the Emperor.

"Yuugi?" Atemu questioned, coming to a stop. They had made it to the drawing room where Bakura and Sugoroku were waiting. "Are you well? You have become pale."

"I-I." Yuugi swallowed the lump in his throat. "I am fine, Your Majesty."

Atemu gave him a flat look. "I do not believe you are well, young one, but I will not press the matter. Come, I wish to introduce myself to your grandfather."

Atemu twisted the golden knob to the drawing room before pushing it open. He stood aside to allow Yuugi in first.

Yuugi stepped in and felt a rush of relief flow through him when he spotted his grandfather on the purple velvet couch speaking quietly with Bakura. He had not expected his grandfather to be hurt but he felt better seeing a familiar face.

He quickly forced his lips into a smile when Sugoroku turned and spotted him. The elderly man rose from his spot on the couch and came towards him.

"Yuugi, my dear boy," Sugoroku took Yuugi's face into his weathered hands. "You're so pale. You look as if you're about to fall over."

Placing the journal on the table next to them, Yuugi put his hands on top of his grandfather's before pulling them away. "I'm fine grandpa. You really worry too much…"

"I'm your grandfather. I have every right to worry about- Oh, Your Majesty!"

Yuugi glanced over his shoulder to see that Atemu had taken a seat in the chair that was next to the window and was staring directly at Sugoroku with barely disguised curiosity.

"I apologize." Sugoroku stepped away from him and bowed. "I did not-"

"No apologies are necessary." Atemu interrupted, gracefully rising from his seat. "You were worried for your grandson so it is understandable that you did not notice me."

Sugoroku gave the Emperor a curious and weary look over. "I assume that you have come to discuss something with me, Your Majesty?"

Atemu nodded in agreement. "That, and to formally introduce myself to you. When Yuugi told me your name earlier it sounded familiar to me. Have you been to this palace before? Or have you perhaps worked here?"

Sugoroku gave Atemu a smile that almost seemed indulgent and amused. "I doubt you would remember such an insignificant man such as myself, Your Majesty."

"Then such an _insignificant _man such as yourself would not mind sating my curiosity?"

Sugoroku raised an eyebrow at the commanding tone in Atemu's voice. "Very well. I served on the Council of Val'ista over than two decades past."

Yuugi stared at his grandfather in surprise. "Grandpa? You worked in the palace? You never told me that."

"It was before you were born, kid." Bakura put in from his seat on the couch. "Councilman Sugoroku Motou was a good friend of the previous Emperor."

Hearing this and remembering Atemu's earlier questions made Yuugi realize that he barely knew anything about his grandfather's past and to hear it from it a man he had met only hours ago was embarrassing to him. He wondered what other secrets his grandpa was hiding from him.

"And you know this how, Colonel?" Sugoroku questioned, giving Yuugi an apologetic look. "I do not remember having seen your face within these walls."

Bakura shrugged. "My adoptive father told me all about the previous Council."

"And this man's name?" Sugoroku pressed further.

"General Amadeus Rajiv." Bakura replied. "He took me in and away from the dark streets of the City of Asrai. We've never met because you had already departed."

"Amadeus…" Sugoroku breathed. "I heard he had passed away from a lung disease. I do not doubt he would adopt a child though, even if he was always awkward with children."

"That he was." Bakura chuckled. "He showed his love for me through training and taught me everything he knew and then some."

"You were a part of my father's council?" Atemu questioned. "I have met all of the men and women of the previous Council, corrupt as they were, though there was no mention of you."

Sugoroku grinned at the Emperor. "Those old crows never did like me, because your father favored me and asked me for advice countless times. I am surprised that your father never spoke of me, though."

"He spoke of you many a time. That is why your name sounded so familiar."

"I see. Your father was a good man, Your Majesty. If only the people around him at the time had been the same. I should hope that you gave them a harsh punishment."

Yuugi felt a cold shiver run down his spine when Atemu's crimson eyes darkened. He didn't know the Emperor personally but he hoped that he would never have such a gaze directed towards him.

"They have been banished from this land, though even that punishment will never be enough for what they did to my father."

"Death would be too easy of a punishment for them, Your Majesty." Sugoroku put in gently. "Let them wander the world and know that they can never step into their birthplace again. Though they will find another home, they will never again know of the luxuries that their positions once gave them. Now, you said that you had something to discuss with me?"

"It is about Yuugi. Now that word has spread throughout the city and palace about him, I would like him to remain here."

"Here? In the very place where there was an attempt on your life, Your Majesty?" Sugoroku said, shaking his head. "I think it would be best if Yuugi came home."

"Not all people would be overjoyed to see a Seer amongst us again." Atemu argued. "That is why I think it would be best if Yuugi came to reside in the palace. He will be kept safe."

"I have kept the boy safe since the day he was born. I will have no trouble now."

"Because no one knew of Yuugi's ability." Atemu countered. "That is another point I wish to bring up with you. Why did you not register Yuugi with the Magi Order? As a former council member, you knew what the discovery of a Seer meant to the kingdom."

"That is exactly why I did not register him. If you will remember, Your Majesty, Seer Leon kept the name of the Seer to himself as well to maintain peace."

"Did you do it to maintain peace or to hide Yuugi away? He has been blessed and has yet to achieve his full potential. He cannot even sense the faintest magical signature! By keeping him hidden you are depriving him of a life and his destiny."

"His destiny?" Sugoroku repeated mockingly. "His destiny will be full of pain. Or do you not remember the humiliation that some of the Seers went through?"

Silence descended upon them when Sugoroku finished. Yuugi glanced at the Emperor to see that the older man's face had gone blank again.

_All of this fighting…over me. Over my ability. I never minded being a Seer because I didn't know what it truly meant to be one. Grandpa didn't tell me anything and I never bothered to ask. _

"What would happen if I were to stay here?" Yuugi asked curiously, causing all eyes in the room to turn to him. "What kind of responsibilities would I have?"

"Staying here in the palace is for your own protection, as I have told you before. It is too much of a risk to let you remain within the city. I have no doubt that by the end of the week word of your appearance will have left the borders of this land and will have crossed into Atlantis and Sylvantia."

"In the end it is your choice, my boy," Sugoroku put in. "I cannot force you to come home with me, nor stay here within the palace walls."

Yuugi walked over to the small table, picked up the journal, and turned back to the Emperor.

"You told me to read this and learn of the prophecy that Leon left behind; to understand what one of my brethren went through during the war. Will you give me time to do that, Your Majesty?"

Atemu stared at him for what seemed like an eternity before finally nodding his head.

"I will grant you this, but if something happens I will not hesitate to retrieve you. Am I understood, young one?"

"Yes, I understand, Your Majesty."

Atemu stared at him for a second longer before moving his gaze towards Bakura. "Escort them home and report back to me when you return. We have much to discuss, Colonel."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Atemu gave Yuugi a small smile. "Keep your eyes and ears open, young one. I will see you again soon." giving Sugoroku a simple nod, Atemu turned and walked out of the drawing room without glancing back.

Yuugi waited until he could no longer hear the Emperor's footsteps before letting out a heavy sigh of relief.

"You did well, my boy," Sugoroku said, placing his hands on his shoulders. "Let's get you home and into bed. It has been a long day for the both of us."

* * *

><p>"<em>With the assassination of Queen Helena of Atlantis. War has been declared upon <em>_Elysian, my homeland. The people grow scared and some have fled to Sylvantia, who has decided to remain neutral in this conflict. Our King has neither denied nor taken responsibility for the death of Queen Helena and it is his silence that frightens me. I was summoned to appear before the King and ordered to remain within his gaze for however long this war would last. He fears that I will join Atlantis but I have no such intentions. Elysian is my home and it will remain so until my last breath leaves my body- _

"Are you still reading that thing?"

Yuugi glanced over his shoulder to see Jou standing in his bedroom doorway with a frown on his lips. He gave the blond a cheeky grin before gently closing the journal and placing it safely in his desk drawer.

"Of course I still am, Jou," Yuugi said. "I told the Emperor that I would."

"I know you did." Jou walked further into the bedroom and towards the window. "But you need a break. You've been at it for more than a day now and you still haven't properly rested since your last vision."

Yuugi covered his eyes when Jou pulled open the curtains and opened the window. "I have been resting, Jou. I slept for nine hours, remember?"

It had been two days since he had returned from the palace after Bakura had bid the both of them farewell. His grandfather had immediately told him to bathe and to rest. He had done so without much protest. He'd grudgingly admitted that he was indeed tired from the long trip to the palace and back. He'd been woken up the next morning by Jou, who wanted to know all of the details about the Emperor and what the palace was like. When he'd finished he'd noticed that the blond had gone quiet. He knew that his friend was slightly upset about his decision to move into the palace but much to his surprise, Jou had told him that he thought it would be best if Yuugi did move there because word was already spreading throughout the city about him.

"Nine hours isn't enough and you know it." Jou countered. "I know you're stubborn so I'm going to suggest something else for you to relax."

"That's a surprise," Yuugi grinned. "You usually don't give up so easily."

Jou rolled his eyes before waving him over. "I'm not giving up. I want to show you something. You've been locked away in this room so I doubt you would have noticed."

"What is it?" Yuugi stood up from his chair, walked over to the window, and stuck his head out. "What's with the decorations everywhere?"

The usual market stands of the eastern sector where he lived had been replaced by balloons and arches with colors ranging from silver to hot pink. Large festival flags marked with the royal symbol, a griffin grasping a blade in its claws, were blowing in the wind. Yuugi leaned further out and saw merchants setting up stands that included food, weapons and even silks.

"A festival." Jou explained, grabbing his waist and pulling him back in. "In celebration of the Emperor's safety and the faceless Seer."

"I understand why there would be a festival for the Emperor, but for me? They don't even know what I look like."

Jou ruffled his hair before giving him a full-toothed grin. "Doesn't matter; you saved the Emperor's life. The people want to thank you. So, why don't we go out and explore? And I'm not taking no for an answer."

"I suppose a break wouldn't hurt." Yuugi murmured, glancing outside again and smiling when he saw a couple of excited children running by dressed in brightly colored robes.

"That's right; it wouldn't hurt to go out for a while." Jou pressed, "Anzu and Shizuka have been worried about you and they want to see you."

"Anzu is back? I thought she had travelled to Sylvantia to visit her relatives?"

"She made it back yesterday. She came by but you were sleeping. Now, no more questions! Get dressed and meet me downstairs."

Yuugi watched as Jou walked out of the room, closing the door firmly behind himself as he went. He reached up and closed the window and curtains. The festival didn't sound like too bad of an idea and he did want to see Anzu and Shizuka again.

_I just hope nothing bad will happen while I'm out there. With the luck I've been having lately, though, I wouldn't be surprised if something did._

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><p>AN : Chapter Three comes to a close! I hope you enjoyed reading!


	4. Chapter 4

Valkyria : Hello Everyone! I'm so glad to see you guys again. I hope all of you are ready for another chapter.

Griever : Come on, don't chat so much. Say the disclaimer and let them read.

Valkyria : Well! Excuse me!

Disclaimer : We claim no rights to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh and if we did. Some of the stories I see on this site, would definitely be side-stories and OVA's.

**Current Song : Someday the Dream Will End by Nobou Uematsu. **

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><p><em>"The cause is hidden, but the result is known." - Ovid, Metamorphosis, IV. 287 <em>

**Chapter Four: Awakening.**

_I had no idea that it would be this crowded. All of Asrai must be out and about. _

"Lively, isn't it?" Jou remarked as they watched a pair of excited children with balloons in their hands rush by. "I'm surprised the Council of Val'ista approved of this so quickly."

"They want to take the people's mind off the attempt on the Emperor's life." Yuugi added. "The last thing the Council wants is for the people to be frightened by thought of losing the Emperor. You know how well-liked he is."

Both of them had arrived at the festival grounds while everything was already in full swing. The smell of cooked meat coming from booths hung heavily in the air, large tents with benches and water pitchers placed inside were set up to provide shade for children and the elderly. Several stands had displays of weapons and magical items ranging from armor to rings but the thing that caught Yuugi's eye was the large stage in the very center.

"Are they having some kind of performance later?" Yuugi asked, pointing to the empty circular stage. "And what are those silver beams around it?"

"That's where the magical duels are taking place." Jou answered. "They're hosting a small match to bring a little excitement to the festival, and those beams around the stage act as a barrier. They activate if a spell goes haywire."

"When is it taking place?"

"It should be taking place in a little while. Let's hurry and find Shizuka and Anzu so we can find some decent seats."

Searching the festival grounds for Anzu and Shizuka turned out to be harder than Yuugi had originally thought it would be. Constantly stopping at the weapon and food stands so that Jou could get something to eat and check out the types of blades and armors other than what his father's shop offered didn't help either. Making their way through the crowds of other festival goers and stopping at one of the rest tents when he got overheated took up a good chunk of time. It was another five minutes before Yuugi spotted two familiar heads near a stand that was selling silks.

"Come on Jou! I think I see Anzu and Shizuka!" grabbing the sleeve of the blond's shirt he pulled Jou away from the food stand that was selling pastries.

"Really." Jou mumbled around the chocolate cake he was eating. "I wish we could have spotted them sooner."

_We could have, if we hadn't almost been mauled by the crowds here. _

Throwing out hurried apologies to anyone they bumped into, Yuugi and Jou raced towards the silk stand.

"Anzu! Shizuka!"

Two brunette heads turned in unison before raising up slim arms and waving frantically them forward.

"It's about time!" Anzu's blue eyes flashed with annoyance though also with relief. "We've been looking for you guys everywhere."

Both girls were dressed lightly to against the heat and for easy movement. Anzu wore a simple blue, sleeveless dress that matched her eyes and a pair of black sandals. Shizuka was dressed in a tan skirt that reached her knees and a sleeveless, purple shirt, two simple bracelets on both of her wrists and her hair pulled into a low ponytail.

"I would've told Jou the place we were meeting if he hadn't rushed out of the house this morning." Shizuka scolded. "It would've saved us the headache of finding each other in these crowds."

"Sorry about that." Jou gave both women an apologetic smile. "But what matters is that we're together now, right?"

"A lot later than we should've been." Anzu gave the blond one last glare before moving her gaze to Yuugi. "And you, where's my hug?"

"Welcome back, Anzu." Yuugi wrapped his arms around the slightly taller girl tightly. "How was Sylvantia?"

"Cold." Anzu replied, placing her arms around his shoulders for a brief moment before pulling away. "I heard about the attempt on the Emperor's life and the appearance of a Seer." Anzu gave him a concerned look. "Are you okay? Jou gave me the details about your meeting with the Emperor. You're going to live in the palace soon?"

Yuugi smiled at the barely hidden concern in Anzu's voice. They had been friends since they were in diapers. Anzu had been one of the first people besides his grandfather and Jou to know about his status as Seer and had firmly kept it a secret even from her parents. Being the only mage in her small family, Anzu knew what it felt like to be completely different.

"Yes, very soon. You're still studying to become a teacher of your art for the mage academy, right?"

At the early age of ten years old, Anzu had been identified as a Dancer. Dancers moved with their elements, releasing spells through a series of steps instead of the traditional incantation other mages used. Her element was water, which was, judging from the frustration that Anzu had from her Academy days, was difficult to control.

"That's right. That's one of the reasons you went to Sylvantia; so that you study with your aunt and bring her teachings back here." Jou added. "Dancers are much more well-known in Sylvantia than in Elysian. You have to show us what you learned later."

"Of course," Anzu smiled. "Don't I always?"

"Yeah," Jou snorted, "You always end up hitting me with water when you're practicing too. You say it's an accident, but you can't miss the mark that many times."

Anzu shrugged. "I can't help that you're in the way every single time Jou. You know what they say about being in the right place at the wrong time."

Shizuka quickly covered up her mouth to muffle her laughter, while Jou merely huffed and sent Anzu a playful glare.

Fighting back his own laughter, Yuugi looked up when the sound of a bell rang throughout the festival grounds. The bells rang two more times before a deep voice rang through the air.

_Attention. Both participants of the mage duel are to report to the stage. Attention. Both participants of the mage duel are to report to the stage. _

"Please don't tell me we have to go watch." Anzu whined, giving Yuugi a pleading look, her eyes begging him to say no.

"I wouldn't mind seeing it." Shizuka spoke up softly. "I've never seen a magical duel before."

"Sorry Anzu," Jou gave her a sympathetic grin. "That's three votes against your one."

"What do you mean?" Anzu protested. She reached over and grabbed Yuugi. "Yuugi didn't say he wanted to go!"

"We already talked about it when we first started looking for you two." Jou gave him a wicked grin. "You agreed to go, didn't you, buddy?"

Yuugi patted Anzu's hand. "I am curious; I've never seen a magical duel before either. I know you've participated in them at the mage academy but if you don't want to go we can go look around some more."

"No," Anzu pouted and removed her hands from his shoulders. "I won't ruin this chance for you. I'll come with you guys."

"That's the spirit! Come on and let's go grab some seats before they fill up."

Fortunately, when they made it to the stage the second row had yet to be filled up. They quickly took the four remaining seats at the end. As they waited for the remaining rows to be taken, Yuugi looked at the stage and spotted a man with brown hair that spiked in every direction and goggles sitting on top. Dark blue eyes, thin lips and a thin nose made up his face. The nameless man was only dressed in a simple pair of black trousers and a red, tight, sleeveless shirt that showed off his slim muscles and two fire-rune tattoos on both arms. Black boots with silver buckles going down the front covered his feet and a pair of fingerless gloves with the same fire-runes covered his hands.

"Talk about a disadvantage." Jou muttered next to him. "Look at the guy at the right."

Yuugi turned in direction Jou had mentioned and spotted a teenager that was slightly taller than he was with shoulder-length brown hair and purple bangs partially hidden under a red cloth. He was dressed simply in a green, long-sleeved shirt with a yellow shirt under it and brown trousers. He didn't look as intimating as the man on the left did.

"You shouldn't underestimate an opponent just by their looks, Jou." Anzu said, listening in to their conversation. "Just because he looks like a kid doesn't mean he can't take that other guy down."

Before Jou could protest the bell tolled again and an announcer walked onto the stage.

"Welcome!" the announcer spoke loudly over the quietening audience. "Today we are celebrating the safety of Emperor Faenor and also give thanks to Seer Yuugi Motou for saving our kind and just rule. Let's give a round of applause to them both!"

Yuugi slid down in his seat and covered his face with one of his hands as the audience roared at the mention of him and the Emperor.

_Thank the gods they only know my name. _

The announcer waited for the audience to quiet again before continuing. "We continue this celebration with a special treat; a magical duel! If our two participants would rise and make their way to the center of the stage."

Yuugi returned his gaze to stage only to blink in surprise when he caught the older brunet man staring directly at him. They held each other's gaze for a moment before Yuugi looked away to stare at his feet.

_That was weird. _

"Do you know that guy, Yuugi?" Shizuka asked curiously, having caught the staring contest between them.

"No, I don't know him at all."

"Your hairstyle probably caught him by surprise." Jou teased, reaching over to ruffle his hair roughly. "You could spot this hairdo from anywhere."

"On the left side we have Valon! He is a Class S Fire Mage! And on the right we have Rex Raptor! He is a Class B Lightning Mage! Once I exit the stage the battle will begin immediately! Gentlemen, are you ready?"

"Ready!" Valon and Rex chorused.

The announcer made his way to the small steps near the back of the stage before turning and raising his arm.

"Begin!"

Yuugi leaned back against the chair when the air grew alive with fire and lightning. He flinched when one of Rex's lightning spells lashed out and hit the bars around the stage, causing the barrier around it to activate.

"Watch it!" Valon roared, sending out a wave of fire towards Rex. "Concentrate on me! Not on the audience!"

Rex rolled out the way and placed his palm on the floor, sending several small sparks towards Valon. "I know what I'm doing! I didn't get to Class B on stupidity!"

"He must have gotten there on luck." Anzu spoke up dryly. "I might not be an expert on lightning magic but even I can tell that he's being reckless with it. It's lashing out everywhere."

"They're not using incantations? I remember you using them all of the time when you were first started in the academy." Jou said, keeping his gaze on the duel before him. "How come these two aren't using them?"

"These two are using wild magic. They're just grabbing energy from the air and turning it into their element. In magical duels, wild magic is recommended, you can use incantations, but you have to be quick on your feet about it. Your opponent isn't going to let you stand there and recite the words."

Valon let out a loud curse as one of the small sparks touched his booted feet and travelled up his leg and he fell to the stage in an ungraceful heap.

"Come on! Get up!" Jou cheered, rising from his chair. "Don't let that kid beat you!"

Rex turned towards Jou and growled. "Who the hell are you calling a kid?"

Valon stood up, letting out another curse when his leg started to spasm again. "You're going to pay for what you did to my leg, you little asshole!"

Rex turned back towards Valon and smirked. "Back on your feet already, old man?"

Valon chuckled and clenched his fists, the runes on his gloves beginning to glow a dark red. "You're pretty good for a B-Class but let me show you what an S-Class can do!"

"_Fall…Fall from the sky like crimson rain! __**Fire Bullets!" **_

Rex quickly raised his arms and placed a protective shield around himself just as the spell impacted.

"He didn't grab enough energy for a strong enough shield." Anzu commented. "If he doesn't do something it's going to break really soon."

In a bold move Rex dissipated the shield and jumped. He hissed when one of the stray fire bullets managed to singe his clothing.

Putting more distance between them; Rex sent out several bolts of lightning, and cursed under his breath when Valon managed dodged them. "You can be sure I won't let you use another incantation!"

"Awww." Valon taunted, "Why not kid? You looked like you were enjoying my Fire Bullet spell! I would be delighted to show you again."

_"Shut up!"_ Rex growled, reigning his lightning back in when it touched the bars again.

"Always make sure to keep your emotions in control when controlling your element. There is always a risk of it losing control and hurting others." Shizuka recited suddenly, causing her brother and friend to turn to her in bewilderment.

"You've been reading Anzu's textbooks again Shizuka?" Jou asked with a small smile.

"Of course! What kind of friend would I be if I didn't know anything?"

As Valon dodged another lightning strike from his opponent, he felt a stinging pain coming from his arm, quickly looking down, he noticed the once clear mark was becoming disfigured and black.

"What in the...?"

"_Come from thy heavens, oh lightning. Strike my opponent from where he stands! __**Lightning Blades!"**_

_"Shit!" _Before he could move out of the way, one of the blades came down and struck Valon through the leg, causing him to release a blood-curdling scream.

Yuugi squeezed his eyes shut as the blood splattered against the stage. He'd never expected that the duel would involve spilling blood between opponents.

"Oh man," he heard the awe and fear in Jou's voice. "I've seen my fair share of magical duels but that spell…"

"That spell was aimed to kill." Anzu said solemnly. "I've heard of the Lightning Blade spell. It can strike an enemy from a long-distance because the caster can aim the blades where he or she pleases. It was reckless to use it. This is supposed to be a friendly magical duel."

Yuugi opened his eyes and watched as Valon muttered something under his breath and his arm started to glow a pale blue. The fire mage reached over and grabbed the blade before wrenching it out of his leg. He turned away from the match when he caught a glint of light at the corner of his eye.

The silver beams of light that were responsible for the barrier were slowly fading away. Yuugi watched the particles of light float up to the sky in wonder.

"That's strange…" Anzu spoke up again. "Why did the barrier de-activate? The match is far from over..."

"What the hell is wrong with you Valon?" Rex cried out causing the four of them to turn back to stage.

"What the hell is wrong with his runes..?" Jou muttered shakily.

Yuugi returned his gaze back to the stage and narrowed his eyes and saw that the runes on Valon's arms and gloves were glowing to the point where they were literally smoking and burning the man's skin off.

Valon reached up and grabbed his arms, crying out when the skin of his hands was seared. "My runes! What the hell is going on?"

Yuugi shivered when he felt warm air on the back of his neck. He quickly turned around only to see a red-haired woman sitting behind him, watching the match with growing horror.

_What was that…? _

"_**Burn…Burn them so that they can become part of the Phoenix's ashes! Flame Grave!" **_

At hearing the loud spell over the growing noise of the crowds, Yuugi turned back to the stage to see Valon on _fire. _

Immediately cries of horror went up into the air at the sight of Valon's state. Yuugi felt a harsh tug on his arm and looked up to see Jou with his hand around his arm.

"We have to go. _Now." _

Before he could say anything, Jou pulled him up harshly and reached over to grab Shizuka's arm as well. "Anzu- What the hell are you doing?"

Anzu had climbed onto the stage and was trying frantically to cast water and healing spells over Valon's quickly burning body. She turned back to them and pointed to the entrance.

"Take Yuugi and Shizuka and get out of here-"

"_**Freeze…Freeze the courageous maiden's blood. Ice Coffin!" **_

To Yuugi's horror ice began to quickly crawl up Anzu's feet. He tried to move towards the brunette but Jou pulled him back harshly.

"Get out of here now!" Anzu ordered again. The ice was up to her hips at this point. "Someone is casting these damn spells. Get your sister and Yuugi out of here!"

"Come on, the both of you!" Jou said pulling them towards the entrance. The festival grounds were in total chaos. People were running towards the entrance, tripping and falling over each other.

"_**Shake…Tear these lands asunder! Ground Breaker!" **_

Yuugi, Jou and Shizuka fell to the ground once the spell had been activated. Yuugi felt Jou's strong hands grab his wrist and before he could look at the damage done by the spell the blond had buried his face into his chest.

"Don't look." Jou murmured into his ear. "Come on; we have to run to the entrance."

"Who's casting these spells?" Yuugi asked in a trembling voice.

"I don't-"

"_**Drown the saviour in despair….Rushing Tides!" **_

Yuugi closed his eyes and readied himself for the impact of the water from the spell. He waited and waited for what seemed an eternity before he felt an extremely cold wind flow around him. Yuugi opened his eyes to see Jou in front of him with his arms stretched out.

"Jou…" Shizuka breathed from next to him. It was then that Yuugi noticed that his friend was surrounded in a dark blue light and a small ice rune had appeared on his on his forearm.

The water spell that was supposed to have drowned them all had been stopped in mid-air and had been turned into a towering wall of ice.

"Jou!" Shizuka shrieked. "H-How did you do that? I thought you couldn't cast magic?"

"How am I supposed to know!" Jou yelled frantically, staring at his hands. "I-I just didn't want the both of you to get hurt and the next thing I knew I had ice flowing from my hands."

"Quickly! Surround the area and search for any survivors! I want that rogue mage found!"

Jou chuckled bitterly at the sound of the guards rushing in. He dropped to the ground in exhaustion. "Those assholes are a little late to the party."

Yuugi couldn't agree with his friends words more.

* * *

><p><em>I hate coming down here. If it didn't make me sound like less of a man I would say the spirits of the prisoners of the previous war were still here. This is the <em>_**last**__ place I want Noah to be in. _

Placing his hand against the dusty stone wall, Seto carefully made his way down the torch-lit stairway that lead down to the interrogation rooms. Located on the deepest levels of the palace, the interrogation rooms were twenty small chambers that had formerly been used as prisons and torture chambers. Seto only came down here once a year to re-carve the lightning and fire runes that were used to stop prisoners from escaping. He made sure that Mahad, one of the instructors from the Mage Academy and a childhood friend of him and Atemu' came down here with him to assist him in the task. Though he said nothing to anyone about it, Seto could sometime smell the blood and hear the screams of former prisoners that were had once been held here. Had it not been for the prophecy and the wishes of the former council members from his uncle's reign, he would have convinced Atemu to destroy this place a long time ago.

Seto slowly removed his hand from the stone wall once his booted feet had hit the solid floor. Reaching up, he grabbed the nearby torch before proceeding down the dark hallway.

The prospect of seeing his cousin again after the assassination attempt made his stomach knot and his heart race. He could still remember the day when Headmaster Hawkins had come to tell him that Noah had been kidnapped. For the first time since he'd been a child, Seto had gone into a panic. He had searched every inch of Asrai and when he'd found nothing there he'd left Elysian and headed towards Atlantis, making sure to scan through the smaller cities and villages on the way. He'd been gone for months on end before Atemu had ordered him home, stating that there was nothing more he could do. He had been worrying Mokuba with his frenzied searching as well. With failure weighing heavily on his mind he had returned home and apologized to his little brother and Atemu for making them worry. Seto had never forgotten about Noah, though. Not one day had passed without him wondering where his baby cousin had gone and if he was safe or even still alive.

All of the wondering and worrying was over now. Noah was finally home and within Elysian borders. The only things that remained were an endless amount of questions. The person who had sent Noah had to know the palace inside and out. They must have known about the one flaw that the consciousness the palace had; Once authorization was given, you could walk through the upper levels without getting hurt. Despite having a golden goblet full of poisoned wine, the consciousness could only feel threats not see them That brought up another problem. How long had Noah been here under that disguise? Weeks? Months? How could this have gone unchecked?

_The better thing would be to say; How could **I** have let this gone unchecked. This. This is sounding more and more like an inside job, but I can't think of anyone would want to harm Atemu. _

"High Lord Kaiba." the guard spoke solemnly. "We have been expecting you."

Seto stared past the guard's shoulder and to the wooden door that had a glowing blue barrier in the shape of a rose in front of it. It was no doubt Mai's work.

"How is he faring?" Seto asked, moving his eyes away from the door and onto the guard's face.

"He has been quiet since Lady Kujaku departed a few hours ago."

"I see." Seto reached forward and placed his hand against the barrier. It grew warm to his touch before slowly disappearing.

"Do not disturb us unless there is an emergency, do you understand?"

"Yes, my lord."

Seto twisted the knob of the door before pulling it open. He stepped inside and pushed the door shut behind him.

"C-Cousin Seto? Is it truly you?"

Seto stared ahead and saw his cousin sitting on the small bed that he had been provided with. His cousin had grown slightly taller though his skin was still pale as snow. Those wide blue eyes he remembered staring down into had grown sharper and darker with age.

Seto felt his feet moving him forward and coming to a stop once he was close enough. He bent down, grabbed Noah's cold hands into his own, and smiled bitterly.

"Yes, little Noah. It's me, Seto. We have a lot to talk about."

.

* * *

><p>AN : That's it for Chapter Four! So many questions and poor Seto is starting to blame himself for it! Please stay tuned to find out the aftermath of the festival.


	5. Chapter 5

**Valkyria : Hello folks! Chapter Five of Emperor's Prophecy is here! We hope you enjoy it. **

**Griever : We have twists and turns and surprises~! **

**Beta'd by : Moondalian. Thanks so much! **

**Disclaimer : We claim no characters to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh! **

**Current Song : Heaven's Distress by Nobou Uematsu.**

* * *

><p><em>"If we can recognize that change and uncertainty are basic principles, we can greet the future and the transformation we are undergoing with the understanding that we do not know enough to be pessimistic."<em>

_- Hazel Henderson._

**Chapter Five: Aftermath and Midnight Visitor **

The chamber that was holding Noah was simple at best, containing a bed with a flat and uncomfortable-looking mattress that was set against the wall, a toilet near the doorway, and a simple candle sitting on small stool next to the bed to provide the only light in the room.

"It is a relief to see a familiar face." Noah's voice was a touch deeper than what Seto remembered, but that was to be expected considering the time that had passed.

Pushing the nostalgia away. Seto unclasped his hands from Noah's and settled next to his younger cousin on the hard bed. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel better now. I don't feel as disoriented now the spell has been cleared away." Noah twisted around to face him completely. "You've aged well, cousin. Considering how serious you were when we were younger, I'd always thought you would end up with gray hair much earlier."

"Considering our current situation there is still time for me to do that." Seto countered bluntly. "I am relieved you are back, Noah, but this idle chatter is not what I came down here to see you for."

"Yes, of course," Seto fought not to flinch at the sadness and disappointment he heard in Noah's voice. His feelings and relief came second and matters of the kingdom and Atemu's safety came first. That's how it had always been.

"I assume Lady Kujaku has brought you up to date about our current situation?" Seto asked.

Noah shifted on the bed, turning away from him and staring into the small light that candle provided. "Yes, she told me everything once my head was clear enough. She told me about how I had tried to assassinate cousin Atemu and that I have been missing for three years."

Seto turned to Noah as he noticed how dejected the younger man looked. As much as he wanted to comfort Noah and tell him that everything would be alright, he knew that it would be nothing but a lie.

"I can't remember anything," Noah spoke up again, turning around to stare him in the eyes. "The only thing that I do remember is being swept off the Academy grounds that day and then waking up here. Lady Kujaku said that it might be a fail-safe of the spell that was used on me; to wipe my memories as soon as it was removed."

Seto rose from the bed and began to pace the small chamber. "That might be true, but that does nothing to help us, Noah. Now that the information is gone we can't find out who sent you or kidnapped you."

Noah released a shaky sigh. "We can figure out who did this. If you're up to hearing my suggestion."

Seto stopped pacing and gave his cousin a sceptical look before slowly nodding. "Go on."

"Well," Noah met his eyes steadily and continued... "We could try a mind synch-"

"No."

Noah's face morphed into a confused expression. "I don't understand. Don't you want to find out who's behind this? I told you that I can't recall-"

Seto walked forward and clasped his hand onto Noah's shoulder. "Never think that I do not want to find out who did this to you, but a mind synch is out of the question. Atemu himself has turned the idea down and like Lady Kujaku stated, the spell could have wiped your memories."

Noah shook his head. "I believe that memories can only be buried deeply, never erased. Magic cannot do everything, cousin, though we wish that to be so in some situations. I implore you, please let me do this. I cannot stand by and let whoever did this get away with it. I lost three years of my life! Don't I deserve to know what I've been doing?" Noah lowered his eyes. "I could have been going around killing people like I tried to do with cousin Atemu."

Before Seto could speak again, three heavy knocks echoed throughout the chamber before the guard's voice came through the door.

"High Lord Kaiba! There has been an incident! His Majesty requests your presence in the throne room immediately!"

Noah lay down on the bed and turned his back to Seto. "Please reconsider before coming down here and visiting me again."

Seto clenched his jaw and walked towards the door. "There shall be no reconsidering of my decision."

As Seto touched the knob of the door, Noah's cold and firm voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Then I shall have someone who doesn't let love cloud their judgment complete this task. I am not the innocent child who used to chase you and Mokuba through the palace gardens so long ago. You forget that I am also a Kaiba. We define the very definition of stubborn."

"And you forget who you're going up against. I love you, Noah Kaiba, but we will see who wins this in the end." Seto wrenched the door open, startling the guard who was behind it. Happed through and slammed it shut behind him.

Curling into a ball, Noah buried his face into his arms and finally let the tears roll down his cheeks.

* * *

><p>"Your Majesty! You cannot be serious about going to the festival grounds! Please, I beg of you to reconsider-"<p>

Atemu clutched the armrest of his throne, his shadow magic crackling in the air around him. "I will not reconsider, Yoshimori. I will not sit here while my people are out there being attacked! Their safety is of no lesser importance than mine!"

When he had first learned of the attack on the festival he had been taking a stroll in the gardens with Mai and talking about his first impression of Yuugi and what it would be like for the young man to reside here. Shocked at the news he had received about the attack, he had ordered the guards that had informed him to gather a healer team to attend to the injured, a tracker team to check the festival grounds and the surrounding area to find the rogue mage, and to inform the members of the Council to meet him in the throne room. When he had arrived with Mai in tow only Yoshimori had been there, pacing back and forth and snapping at the guards.

"Control yourself, Your Majesty!" Mai snapped, seeing Yoshimori stepping back in fear. "Yoshimori is right; you cannot go out there. I know you are worried but for now your place is here."

Atemu took a deep breath and reigned his magic back in. He turned his gaze at Yoshimori and gave the older man an apologetic smile, which the man nodded to in understanding.

With no reports yet coming in from the healing mages or tracking team he had sent out, and Noah having no recollection of the last three years or the face of the man who had kidnapped him, Atemu was frustrated. His kingdom was slowly descending into chaos and he felt helpless.

The doors to the throne room creaked open. Raphael along with Shada and Seto walked in, each of them wearing grim frowns.

Atemu waited until they were within earshot before speaking, his eyes turning to Seto. "Has anything changed with Noah?"

"No," Seto's response was clipped and cold. "Forgive me, Your Majesty, but let us save that conversation for an other time? The guards you sent to retrieve us have informed us of the attack on the festival. Have any reports come back in?"

"It is only a matter of time before they come in." Atemu replied. He shifted his gaze onto Raphael. "In the meantime; Raphael, I would like you to go to the festival grounds and do a little investigating. Ask the people who attended the festival if they saw anything and meet up with the tracking team if you can. I want this investigated thoroughly."

Raphael bowed deeply. "Yes, Your Majesty." Rising, he turned and walked out of the throne room. Mai watched him leave before turning to Atemu.

"I apologize if I am out of line, Your Majesty, but there has been something off about Raphael since the attempt on your life."

"You are suspicious about one of our own men?" Shada spoke up for the first time, sending a disapproving glare towards the councilwoman. "Now is not the time to be suspicious of our people. Paranoia will be high enough as it is with the attack on the festival and the attempt on His Majesty's life."

Mai's lips curled up into an ugly scowl and she sent the tan-skinned man a menacing glare. "I know that, Shada. Be silent and let me explain." When she was met with no more protests, she continued. "Raphael has been in a daze of sorts these last few days. He has being secretive whereas previously he has always been open about his actions. Now…"

Atemu did not need her to finish her sentence. "It is distressing to hear this from you, Mai. However, as Shada has stated, lay suspicion where it is due and be careful when you do. Also, be ready to face the consequences of your actions if you are wrong."

"And if I am right?"

"Then I will deal with it." Atemu's voice was cold and commanding and it sent a shiver down Mai's spine. She managed to nod her head and was saved from saying anything further when Yoshimori spoke up.

"You will not send Colonel Firimar out? I'm sure he would be happy to help."

"No," Atemu rose from his throne, his cloak covering his simple red v-neck shirt and tight black trousers. "I have another task for Colonel Firimar." he turned to his cousin. "And for you as well, Seto."

* * *

><p>The festival grounds, once lively and full of people, was now a site of disaster and fear. The water spell that Jou had saved them from was now a frozen wave of ice, slowly melting from the blazing heat of the sun. The stands that had held weapons, food, and the silks that Shizuka and Anzu had been looking at previously had been destroyed, sunken into the ground, or turned over. Yuugi reluctantly turned to the stage and saw the mages covering Valon's body with a white sheet. He shifted his gaze to Anzu, who had been completely frozen over by the time the assault had ended. Her expression was one of horror. The healing mages were slowly melting her out. Quickly turning away, Yuugi saw many of the festival-goers in blankets that the healer mages had provided. Some were slowly moving away from the grounds, holding crying children or shaken up wives and siblings. His stomach twisted into a tight knot when he spotted the number of bodies under white sheets.<p>

"Who could have done this?" he heard Jou mutter shakily. Yuugi glanced over his shoulder to see his blond-haired friend sitting on the ground next to Shizuka with an arm wrapped around her slender shoulders. "This is inexcusable! Attacking innocent people."

_Is this my fault? Did that rogue mage attack knowing that I was here? _

"You three! Are you hurt?"

Yuugi, Jou and Shizuka turned to the left to see a silver-haired healing mage, dressed in white and red robes heading their way.

"No," Yuugi replied, turning to Jou and Shizuka who shook their heads, implying the same. "But our friend on the stage, Anzu, is she going to be okay?"

The healer mage's green eyes softened "She's going to be just fine. The spell didn't affect her too badly. Since she is a mage in her own right, she managed to hold off the worst effects before she was completely frozen over. As for the man who was on the stage with her." the healer mage shook his head sadly. "By the time we arrived he was already dead."

"I see. It's good that Anzu is going to be aright." Jou stood up and dusted himself off before helping his sister up. "Have they found the person who did this yet?"

"I doubt it," the silver-haired mage muttered bitterly. "It seems the guards on duty for the festival were knocked out by a sleeping spell and that's how the rogue mage got in. I saw tracker teams around here earlier but that rogue mage is probably long gone by now. Anyway, you three should head on home. Your parents are probably worried sick." the mage nodded to them before walking off to a couple of nearby children.

"But what about Anzu?" Shizuka spoke up softly, her eyes going to the stage where the mages were still breaking the brunette out. Jou put his hand on his sister's shoulder and smiled.

"There's nothing we can do for Anzu right now and I want to get the both of you home."

"I can make it home on my home….." Yuugi trailed off when Jou glared at him. "Or maybe not."

"Damn right." Jou agreed instantly. "Let's get out of here. Grandpa isn't going to be happy about this, if he hasn't already heard..."

Casting one last look at Anzu, Yuugi turned and followed Jou and Shizuka away from the destroyed festival grounds.

* * *

><p>When Raphael arrived at the destroyed festival grounds, he only found a few people lingering and those were being attending to by healing mages. He questioned each man, woman and child, only to have them say that they hadn't see anything and had been too worried about their loved ones and escaping. He investigated the stage where healing mages were trying to free a young woman with brunette hair from being surrounded by ice. Looking over, he spotted a body lying underneath a white sheet.<p>

"What happened here?" he questioned a blonde-haired mage, who was running her hands over the block of ice the young woman was trapped in.

"Oh! Lord Raphael!" the blonde-haired mage quickly bowed her head in acknowledgement before continuing her work. "As you can see, this poor girl was caught in one of the spells that was cast during the attack."

Raphael walked over and lifted the sheet off the body that was lying nearby and sucked in a sharp breath. The body had been completely burned but he could spot a few brown hairs and a familiar pair of melted goggles... Cursing under his breath, Raphael covered the body.

He'd gone a little overboard. There had been no need to kill Valon.

Covering the body again, he turned back to the mage. "You do not know who this is?" he asked, with false concern.

"We do not know," the mage's voice had turned solemn. "By the time we arrived, he was…already dead and unrecognizable. We assume that this girl here was trying to save him. We interviewed some of the witnesses and they said the attack started during the magical duel. We tried locating the other participant, but no such luck."

"I see. How many fatalities?"

"I'm sorry to inform you that we do not have a sure count. Some were injured by the crowds scrambling over each other to escape and some fell into the pits of the earth spell that was cast."

"When you have a sure count, report it to His Majesty."

The mage bowed her head. "Of course. About the rogue mage. I saw a couple of members of the tracking team around. You would have to ask them about that."

"I will do that." he stared at the young woman who was still trapped under the ice. "Take care of this girl."

"Yes, my lord."

Raphael walked away from the stage, and let the mages continue their work. The damage wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. Looking ahead, he spotted the deep brown cloaks that signified members of the tracking team. They had gathered near the destroyed weapons stands and tents. One of the covered heads turned and spotted him before he could announce his presence.

"Lord Raphael!" one of the members ran towards him and bowed. "We have sent a report back to His Majesty. Shall I repeat it to you?"

"Tell me what you know."

"The guards posted outside the gates were put under a sleeping spell. We assume that's how the rogue mage entered. We interviewed them but they could tell us nothing. I am ashamed to say for them that they were too busy placing bets on the outcome of the magical duel and got struck from behind. We managed to follow the magical signature, but it ended in the residential district in the western sector. The people we questioned there say they haven't seen anyone suspicious."

"So you've found nothing." Raphael concluded bluntly. "I want those guards to be taken to Colonel Firimar. They'll learn not to be screwing around instead of doing their jobs."

"Yes, my lord. I take my leave."

He watched the tracker team take off before continuing his way away from the festival grounds. In the end he'd found nothing really worthy of reporting. There were several injured, no real count of fatalities, and fumbling guards.

The picture of the Emperor's displeased face flashed in his mind and he released a sharp sigh.

Leaving the festival grounds completely, he made his way down the long road leading to the plaza. He wasn't surprised to find it empty. People were scared and wary.

"You shouldn't be walking around with a rogue mage running around the city, my lord." a low, throaty voiced called from behind him.

Raphael slowed to a stop and glanced over his shoulder to see a raven-haired man with a beard and a monocle over his right eye. He was dressed in a black robe with green sleeves.

"I am more than capable of taking care of myself, old man," Raphael let a smirk pull at his lips before waving the man forward. He waiting until the man was at his side before continuing to walk. They walked in silence for a moment before Raphael spoke up again.

"You did a messy job and you killed Valon. His Majesty isn't going to be happy with you, Grerimo."

Grerimo shrugged. "He was a nuisance. I never did like that hot-head. I think it was fitting for him to die by the very element he was born with."

Holding down a snarl of disgust, Raphael looked around the street they were walking on before continuing. "We don't kill allies. You know that."

Grerimo gave him a blank look before he started chuckling. "Valon was taking too long. He had plenty of time to take down the barrier and fire a shot into the crowd. His mission was to kill as many people as possible. I was to be used as a last resort. And what of your mission? Have you met the Seer? Disposed of him yet? I doubt you've done either and Noah failed at the assassination attempt. His Majesty isn't going to be happy about your failures Raphael and neither is our dear King of the Northern Lands."

"I couldn't care less about that silver-haired freak. He's nothing but a desperate man whose nation is on its last legs."

"Now, now, don't say such a thing." Grerimo said, amusement in his voice. "You know that this plan has been in the works for years now and little Noah was one of the key players. Now that he's gone, though, we only have you to rely on. You have been in Elysian since you were sixteen years old, Raphael, and you've managed to gain the complete trust of the Emperor himself. Make sure not to lose that trust my boy."

"With these two incidents paranoia is going to run high, so I wouldn't be surprised if everyone starts pointing fingers soon."

Grerimo glanced at him through his monocle. "Just make sure those fingers aren't pointed at you."

"You ask for the impossible," Raphael came to a stop and looked around the plaza to make sure no one was present. It was a large circular area that led out into three other directions. Rose bushes were planted around the entire area, following the same path the other exits did. The most distinguishing feature was the water fountain placed in the very center, a statue of a griffin placed in the middle with its jaws open and water rushing out.

"Ah, Raphael, I ask for the impossible from you because I know you can make it _possible_." Grerimo pointed to the exit in the northern direction. "I'll take my leave of you now. Have a pleasant day, my friend."

Raphael considered, only for a moment, to kill Grerimo and to bring him back to the Emperor and lay any suspicions -if there were any- to rest. He quickly wiped the thought from his mind. There would be too many questions if he did.

_If I'm lucky enough, His Majesty would kill him for doing such a pitiful job._

* * *

><p>Sugoroku was waiting for them outside when they arrived. Yuugi was instantly pulled into a tight hug, which he eagerly returned.<p>

"Oh my dear boy, are you alright?" Sugoroku looked to Shizuka and Jou, who were watching them quietly. "Are the both of you alright as well? And why isn't Anzu with you?"

"Anzu was caught in the crossfire." Jou replied hesitantly. "Thankfully, she's going to be okay. The healing mages were with her when we left."

"I am relieved to hear that and I am sure her parents will be as well." Sugoroku pulled the door to his home open. "All of you, come in and we'll get you something warm to eat."

"Thanks for the invite, grandpa, but I better take Shizuka home. Mom and dad must be going crazy right about now. I'll come back after I get her settled in."

"Are you sure your parents will let you back out Jou?" Sugoroku looked sceptical and worried. "Who knows if that mage is still out there."

Jou flashed Sugoroku a reassuring grin. "No worries. Our home isn't too far away from here." he looked to his sister. "Come on, Shizuka, we better hurry."

"Stay safe you two." Yuugi said as he watched the sibling walk towards their home for a minute before he was gently pushed into his own.

"Upstairs with you." Sugoroku ordered, nudging him into the direction of the stairs leading to the second floor of their home. "Lie down and rest while I cook up something."

"I want to wait for Jou-" his protest was cut off when Sugoroku gave him a stern stare. Pouting, he hurried up to his room and closed the door behind him.

Walking over to his bed, he slowly climbed in and buried his face into the pillow. How could such a good day turn so horrible?

Why had someone attack all of those innocent people? Had it been because someone had known he was going to be there? That couldn't be possible, because he was pretty sure the people of Asrai only knew his name, not his face.

Sitting up on his bed he reached up and pulled the curtains apart, causing the orange glow of the setting sun to penetrate the room. He pushed open the window and stuck his head out to look around. The street was mostly empty, save for a few merchants who were closing shop for the day. The eastern sector of Asrai, the business district, was known for its night life. This was mostly because of the restaurants and shops that it held. To see it so empty now was not only disappointing, but a little frightening too.

Sticking his head back inside. Yuugi closed the window and threw himself back onto his bed. Jou would most likely not show up until night time, if at all if his parents had anything to say about it. The blond's parents sometimes bordered on too protective and even gave his grandfather a run for his money at some points.

Tired of thinking about the events of today. Yuugi climbed out of his bed and moved towards his desk. Pulling the chair out, he sat down and opened the journal that the Emperor had given him. Opening it, he traced the pages carefully and felt his worries fade as he read the words of one his fellow Seers.

_"It has been days since I last left the Celestial Palace. His Majesty has kept me in his spare chambers on the upper floors and I can only leave if there is a guard with me. It is disheartening that he no longer trusts me. I read the emotions flickering in his eyes "Will he betray me?" "Will all Seers betray me?" I try to reassure him through my own eyes that I will not. Never. I hear the guards and servants gossip that His Majesty has ordered troops to move into Atlantian territory. It has finally begun; this war. This dreadful war has finally begun- _

"Yuugi! Yuugi! Come down for dinner!"

Closing the journal, Yuugi stood from his desk and left the room. He made his way down the stairs and into the dining room where Jou and his grandfather were waiting.

"Jou! When did you get here?" he asked, sitting at the small table and sending his grandfather a grateful smile when the man set a bowl of beef soup in front of him.

"A couple of minutes ago. I tried to call for you but you didn't answer. Reading that journal again? You get so into it when you do."

"It's very interesting. Are you staying the night?"

Jou nodded and dug into his own soup. "Yeah, my parents thought it would be best if I didn't go back out tonight. Thanks again for letting me stay, grandpa."

"No problem at all."

The rest of dinner went by peacefully, with Sugoroku teasing Jou about getting seconds and thirds and even fourths. The festival events and Yuugi's own self-blame about the incident steadily faded into the back of his mind. After the dishes had been cleared, he and Jou helped Sugoroku stock newly created potions and categorized the ingredients.

Yawning, Yuugi stretched, rubbing his neck. "I'm heading off to bed now. Goodnight, grandpa. Goodnight, Jou."

"Goodnight." both men chorused.

Going back up the stairs, Yuugi returned to his room and climbed back into bed. With a full stomach and his thoughts calm, he drifted into a peaceful slumber.

A noise downstairs woke Yuugi up hours later. Slowly opening his eyes, he looked out of the window to see that it was still dark. Turning onto his back, he glanced up and felt his heart stop when he saw a hooded man staring down at him. Yuugi opened his mouth to release a scream, but the man swiftly placed his gloved hand over his mouth to stop any sound from escaping.

"Quiet!" the hooded man hissed. "Remain silent and come with me."

* * *

><p>AN : What a way to end the chapter eh? *grin* Who's this mysterious man in Yuugi's room? Raphael has been identified as the spy? All of these plot twists are so exciting aren't they? Stay tuned for Chapter Six of Emperor's Prophecy!


	6. Chapter 6

**Valkyria : Hello *waves* Chapter Six is here. I'm so happy to be posting again so soon~! **

**Griever : I know right? And we just posted a new chapter of Caged, the other day! We are on a roll baby! **

**Valkyria : We let you guys go ahead and read now. **

**Beta'd by : Moondalian. Thanks for the quick edit. You're so awesome! **

**Currently watching : Resident Evil 3 : Nemesis Cutscenes. **

* * *

><em>"The constant duty of every man to his fellows is to ascertain his own powers and special gifts, and to strengthen them for the help of others."<em>  
><em> - John Ruskin. <em>

**Chapter Six: Midnight Welcoming.**

Yuugi just wanted this to be some horrible nightmare left over from the stress of today's events, but the heat of the hand that was covering his mouth and the man standing above him made the situation all too real. Where had this person come from? More importantly, what had happened to his grandfather and Jou? Were they hurt? The thought of the both of them laying downstairs injured or worse caused a pitiful whimper to unwillingly escape his throat. He wanted nothing more than to fight this man off and go make sure that his only remaining family and his childhood friend were okay. But he didn't know if they were more fully cloaked men or women in the house.

The threatening man leaned closer and Yuugi pressed himself further into his mattress. His body released an involuntary shiver when he felt the man's breath caressed his sensitive neck.

"I'm not going to hurt you." the man murmured into his ear. Yuugi found that statement very hard to believe. "I'm going to remove my hand from your mouth. Stay quiet." when the hand was taken off his mouth, Yuugi didn't have any time to recover from it. The cloaked man suddenly took a hold of his arm and pulled him upright. The man released his arm and reached up to remove the hood of his cloak, revealing a head of familiar tri-colored hair and crimson eyes. Those intense eyes locked onto his own and Yuugi felt a breath rush out of his body in relief.

"I apologize if I scared you, young one," Atemu laid a hand on his shoulder and squeezed before pulling away. "You are a light sleeper."

"I heard a noise downstairs. Is my grandfather and my friend okay?"

"Everything is fine," Atemu soothed. "We gave them a slight scare when we suddenly appeared in the living room, though. Your friend, -Jounouchi I believe?- apparently doesn't like one of my councilmen. They started arguing as I was coming up here."

"Can you blame him?" Yuugi stated lightly. "If someone were to suddenly appear in front of you with no explanation, wouldn't you be a little disgruntled? Did your councilmen even apologize?"

A chuckle escaped the Emperor's throat. "I'm afraid Seto has problems apologizing when the need calls for it." Atemu's expression suddenly turned serious. "Your grandfather told me that you were attending the festival when the attack happened. Are you alright?"

"I'm okay," Yuugi managed to dredge up a small smile for the Emperor, who, unfortunately, didn't look the least bit convinced. "Really, Your Majesty. I'm fine. I'm better off than most." Anzu's frozen face and the dozens of bodies under those unmistakable, white sheets flashed through his mind and he quickly dismissed the images.

"It's not your fault." Atemu stated firmly.

"How do you know that it's not?" Yuugi countered quietly. "How do you know that they weren't aiming for me through all of those spells?"

"How can you aim for someone if you don't know what they look like?" Yuugi blinked in surprise at the Emperor's words. "You have to remember, young one, the people of the city only know you by name. No one could have known that you were at the festival. The attack was purely used to spread fear and paranoia, and I hate to admit that they succeeded in that endeavor."

Yuugi didn't miss the barely suppressed anger in the Emperor's voice. He didn't blame the man for being upset at the events that had happened earlier. Not knowing who attacked your people and the fact that they slipped in so easily…

"It's not your fault either." Yuugi stated.

Atemu snorted bitterly and moved away from him. "Not my fault? The people of Elysian depend upon me to keep them safe. Do not tell me that this is not my fault, Yuugi."

"You keep your people safe, Your Majesty." Yuugi gave the older man a sincere smile. "Look how much you're doing for me. Which brings me to my next question. What are you doing here?"

Atemu crossed his arms over his chest and paced the room. "I have come to retrieve you. I am relieved that you are well, but I can no longer take anymore chances regarding your safety."

"Wait." Yuugi stared at the ruler with a startled expression. "You want me to come to the palace? Now?"

"I know I had promised that I would give you time." the Emperor's tone was apologetic and stern all at once. "But that was before the events of today happened." Atemu nodded his head in the direction of his dresser. "I want you to pack what you can and get dressed."

"Your Majesty..." Yuugi began. He was quickly cut off when Atemu shook his head and made his way to the door.

"I know this is sudden." Atemu twisted the door open and stood in the doorway. "But like I stated before, I do not want to take anymore chances. Come downstairs when you're ready." Atemu stepped through the doorway before closing the door shut behind him.

Not wanting to think about how fast things were going, Yuugi gradually made his way over to his dresser, grabbing one of his spare traveling bags on the way. He quickly slipped out of his pyjamas and pulled on a pair of black trousers with side pockets, and a long-sleeved shirt with silver ivy designs sewn along the sleeves and collar. Yuugi quickly grabbed several spare trousers and shirts and piled them into the traveling bag and tied it tightly. He ran over to his desk and grabbed the journal -that was one thing he couldn't afford to leave behind. Giving his room one last glance, Yuugi grabbed his bag and made his way downstairs and into the living room. He expected a little chaos when he stepped into the room, but the tension was thick enough to cut with a knife.

Standing in the center of the living were Jou and a taller, brunet man, both of them staring the other down. Before Yuugi could ask what was going on between the men or even announce his presence, Jou spoke up. His tone was heavy with annoyance and anger.

"This could not have waited until dawn?" Jou's amber eyes narrowed. "Yuugi has been through enough."

"If this could have waited until dawn, we would have come then." the brunet man drawled sarcastically. He gave Jou a smirk before continuing. "This is no longer any of your concern."

"The hell it isn't!" Jou snarled. "Who are you to tell me that this isn't any of my concern? Yuugi is my friend- no, like a brother to me. "

Yuugi turned his gaze away from the two arguing men and spotted his grandfather and Bakura sitting on the couch, watching the spectacle with amusement and a touch of impatience. He also saw that the Emperor had taken a seat in the armchair next to them. Instead of the amusement that Bakura and his grandfather shared, though, he was staring at the brunet man with annoyance.

"If the two of you are finished bickering like children." Bakura drawled. "You would see that our Seer has arrived."

Yuugi suddenly found himself the center of attention, something he wasn't particularly fond of. He made his way over to his grandfather and took a seat next to the elderly man. He kept his eyes forward, preferring to ignore the Emperor's intense gaze.

"Now that everyone is here," Atemu began. "Allow me to get introductions out of the way. Yuugi, this is Seto Kaiba. He is the leader of the Council of the Val'ista. Seto, this is Yuugi Motou."

Seto Kaiba was a tall, lightly muscled man with tan skin and dark blue eyes. His body was draped in a dark blue and black robe, with small golden runes sewn into the sleeves. Much like the Emperor, Seto Kaiba was an intimating man that oozed power and sensuality.

"It is an honor to finally meet you, Yuugi." Seto nodded his head before turning back to the Emperor. "Wouldn't it be best if we left now, Your Majesty? I do not want you out in the city for too long."

"I was curious about that." Sugoroku stated lightly. "With that rogue mage most likely still within the city, it was not safe for His Majesty to come out."

"Indeed it was not." Seto agreed, sending his younger cousin a glare. "But it is hard to convince a stubborn man of such a thing."

Bakura let out a bark of laughter. "Stubborn is the perfect word to describe, His Majesty."

"Enough, the both of you." Atemu turned to Yuugi. "Are you ready to depart, young one?"

"I have a request, Your Majesty." Atemu stared at him before nodding his head. "Can Jou and Grandpa come with me?"

He didn't have a problem going to live in the palace. He had agreed to it, after all. But the thought of being alone and not knowing anyone frightened him somewhat. If he had at least one friend or his grandfather there with him, then he would be fine.

As he expected, his request was met with a stunned and confused silence. Jou stared at him with bewilderment.

"Why do you want me to come with you?" the blond asked curiously.

"Because you need the training." Yuugi responded. "You activated your mage abilities today, and I figured that someone at the palace could help you with them."

It wasn't exactly the real reason why he wanted the blonde to come, but he would tell Jou later when they weren't in front of everyone.

Sugoroku gave him a genuinely surprised look. "When did this happen?"

"At the festival." Jou confessed, giving him a slightly suspicious look before continuing. "A water spell was coming towards us and the next thing I know, I have ice flowing out of my hands."

"It is somewhat rare, yet still possible, for a mage to activate their powers after they reach adulthood. In your case, Jou, your will to protect Yuugi served as a trigger." Bakura explained. "You will need training. If you don't, you will become a danger to yourself and to others. One of the best teachers I know is our dear Seto here."

"Wait a second!" Jou cried out, holding his hands up. "I haven't agreed to this yet." the blond gave Sugoroku a pleading look, but the elderly man only smiled and remained quiet.

"Then you'll come?" Yuugi asked.

Jou sighed and gave Yuugi a look that meant that he had better explain himself later on.

"Are we in agreement about you joining Yuugi to reside in the palace, Jounouchi?" Atemu asked, rising from his seat. "I'm sure he would be delighted if you were to come."

"Yes." Jou responded firmly. "I will be joining Yuugi, Your Majesty. May I ask who will be teaching me to control my mage abilities?"

"I will." Seto replied, his face shifting into an icy glare when Jou gave him a surprised look. "Would you prefer to go to the Mage Academy and become Elysian's oldest first year?" Seto knew that if he hadn't volunteer himself to the task, his cousin would have most likely pulled him aside to order him to do so. It would be better for him in the long run to get this training over with. It would pile onto his usual duties, but it was nothing that he could not handle.

A chuckle escaped Atemu's throat before he could stop it and he gave the blond an apologetic grin. "He is correct, Jounouchi. Seto is the most qualified to teach you."

"Fine," Jou hissed.

To ease his friend's anger, Yuugi pulled his lips into a sincere smile. "Thank you, Jou. I really appreciate this."

"Oh," a light flush appeared on the blond's face. "No problem at all."

Yuugi turned to his grandfather and smiled. "What about you grandpa? You're coming as well right?" He knew perfectly well that his grandfather could take care of himself, but the elderly man was the only remaining family he had left, and he didn't want to leave him. With everything happening so fast, he did not know when he would see his grandfather again.

Sugoroku returned his smile with one of his own, his weathered hand reached forward and ruffled Yuugi's hair gently. "I appreciate that you are keeping me in your thoughts my boy, but I think it would be best if I remained here. Palace life would be a little stifling for someone my age."

"Are you sure?" Atemu asked, "We would love to have you. And your return to the Council would be beneficial to us."

Sugoroku shook his head giving his grandson and the Emperor apologetic looks. "I'm positive. Don't either of you worry. I will be just fine."

Yuugi nodded his head. It was worth a shot, once his grandfather made his mind up about something, he wouldn't change it for anything. He just hoped his grandfather was going to be okay.

"Now can we go?" Seto asked impatiently. "The sooner the better."

"If you are ready, Yuugi?" Atemu asked, giving him a small smile. "Then we can depart now."

"Oh my boy," Sugoroku wrapped him in a tight hug and Yuugi felt the breath rush out of him. He managed to wrap his arms around his grandfather's neck.

"I'm going to miss you, grandpa."

He felt more than heard the older man's chuckle. "You act as if we are never going to see each other again."

"I can't wait." he held onto his grandfather for a moment longer before slowly releasing him. He turned and walked to the Emperor, who had been watching them quietly.

"I'm ready."

Much to his surprise, Atemu leaned down and wrapped a strong arm around his waist. He held in a startled yelp when he was suddenly pressed against the Emperor's body. He did his best to ignore the blush that he knew was on his face.

"Hold on tightly." Atemu instructed. Yuugi watched in awe as wisps of shadows appeared around him. He looked up to see his grandfather staring at him sadly before everything faded to black.

* * *

><p>The Island Kingdom of Atlantis, situated on the Southern waters of Eternia, was a prosperous land and more technologically advanced than its neighbors, Elysian and Sylvantia. Its capital city, named after the de facto deity Leviathan, was a place of wonder with its many districts of business, theater, technology, and magic. It was a place that many visitors had dubbed a city of dreams. The capital's main eye catcher was the Azure Palace, located in the very northern part of the city, made of white stone and sapphire shined to perfection. The Azure Palace was a massive building consisting of three main floors, with servants and knights on the first, nobles on the second, and the royal family on the third. With the exception of the third floor which only consisted of twenty rooms. The first and second held fifty, housing training rooms and quarters for new members of the Atlantis Holy Forces, kitchens and simple quarters for servants and drawing rooms, libraries and ballrooms were on the nobles floor. The throne room was located on the third floor of the Azure Palace, conveniently next to King Dartz and Princess Christina's chambers and offices. The design of the throne room was for defense and pleasing to the eye. Large windows lined the walls with white silk curtains. It gave anyone who visited a beautiful view of the city. Marble columns with golden ivy wrapped around them were placed in the four corners of the room. The walkway leading to the throne was designed so that water would flow along it and circle around the throne. This beautiful part of the room was used as defense. Identified as water mage, Dartz could gather the water in the room and use it as an offense and defense.<p>

Golden eyes stared at a piece of paper for a few seconds before lifting back up to the red-headed informant. Their owner released a small sigh.

"Valon is dead? Grerimo is quick to kill his own allies."

The red-headed man kept his gaze on the marble floor. "Indeed he is, Your Majesty."

Dartz gripped the paper and rose from his golden throne. His silk, white and blue robes spreading out around him.

"I have heard nothing from Raphael and that worries me. I think it is time for me to pay a visit to Elysian and see this so called Seer for myself, don't you agree, Amelda?"

"I think that would be best, Your Majesty. It will be a long journey. Shall I inform Princess Christina?"

Dartz allowed a small smile to pull at his lips at the thought of his daughter. "Please do so. While you are doing that, please inform Lord Timaeus that I wish to see him."

"As you wish, Your Majesty." Amelda rose from the floor and left the throne room through a set of green and gold double doors.

Dartz clutched the paper tighter in his hands and slowly paced back and forth in front of the throne. All of his plans had failed. Noah had failed to assassinate Emperor Faenor and he had a wild, insane mage working under him who even killed his own allies. He would have to do something about Grerimo when the older man returned.

Hearing the double doors creak open, Dartz stopped in his pacing and looked up to see a tall, broad-shouldered man in emerald-green armor with a navy-blue cape bellowing behind him.

"You called, Your Majesty?" The man's deep voice echoed throughout the room. Dartz stared at one of his three commanders. Timaeus was a young man, who was honorable, loyal and followed orders perfectly. The fact that he was a talented spell swordsman was only an added bonus. He would be perfect for what Dartz had in mind.

"Thank you for coming so quickly, Timaeus." Dartz folded the paper before continuing. "I will be taking a trip to Elysian very soon from now and I would like you to accompany me."

Timaeus' good eye blinked slowly at his King's request. "Pardon me, Your Majesty. But, wouldn't Critias be better suited for this?"

"Indeed he would be," Dartz agreed. "Lord Critias has more diplomatic experience and would be beneficial for this journey, but I need him by my daughter's side while I am away. Just think of this trip as a new experience, Timaeus. You have barely been out of Atlantis' gates, have you not?"

"No, Your Majesty. I have not."

Though the City of Leviathan was prosperous, it wasn't without its orphans. Timaeus being one of them. His parents had died from disease and unfortunately he'd had no relatives to live with. He'd wandered the streets until he'd turned fourteen. It was then that he joined Atlantis' Holy Forces as a scout and eventually made his way up to becoming the squire for the previous Knight-General. After proving himself time and time again. Timaeus had been given the position of second Knight-General, with Critias being the first and Hermos being the final one.

"Then it is decided. You, a squad of guards, and my usual entourage will accompany me to Elysian. I think it is time to re-establish our ties with such a wonderful and prosperous kingdom."

Dartz saw the hesitance as clear as day on Timaeus' features. The younger man had always been prone to his emotions. Pulling his lips into a charming smile, Dartz slowly stepped down from his throne and made his way over to the commander.

"As I said, I merely want to visit Elysian and re-establish ties with them. Do you doubt my intentions, Timaeus?"

"No, Your Majesty. I do not. I would be honored to accompany you."

Dartz placed his pale hand on the younger man's shoulder. "I am happy to hear you say that. Please, select some of your most trusted soldiers as my squad and be ready in three days time. You are dismissed."

Timaeus rose from the floor and nodded his head, his head armor covering his eye from Dartz' view. "Thank you for this opportunity, Your Majesty." the knight turned and walked away out through the entrance.

The smile disappeared from Dartz' face once the doors had slammed shut. Though Timaeus was the perfect one for his plan, the young man had hesitated too much for his liking. Critias was too stiff and Hermos too naïve, so that only left Timaeus. He trusted no one but those three for the matters he had in mind. He would go to Elysian and catch the Emperor off guard. Then he'd put his plan into action. Raphael had yet to contact him, Grerimo was too insane, and Noah had failed him. He was surrounded by fools.

Leaving the throne room, Dartz made his way down the long hallway with only the magical lights on the ceilings to lead the way. He would admit that he alone would not be enough to back Emperor Faenor into an inescapable corner. No, he would need someone else to come along for the ride.

He stopped before a set of wooden double door with emerald handles and the symbol of a black and violet-winged serpent with golden eyes carved into it. Turning the knobs down, Dartz pulled the doors open and stepped inside, revealing a large office with dark, red, velvet carpeting and windows lining the walls covered by red curtains. In the middle was an oak desk with two chairs in front of it. The desk itself was covered with papers, and a small magical flame. Walking into the office fully and closing the door behind him, Dartz made his way to his desk and sat down before pulling out a single sheet of paper and a feather pen. He dipped the pen into the ink next to him and wrote three words.

_Failed. Meet. Elysian. _

Folding the paper tightly, Dartz threw it into the magical flame and watched as it slowly disappeared. The man whom he had sent the message to wasn't the most competent man in the world, but his magic was unmatched within his own nation. He would be enough to corner Emperor Faenor.

A piece of paper flew from the flame a moment later and Dartz caught it, quickly opening it. His lips pulled into a dark smirk at the response

_Understood. Meet. Elysian. _

Despite the few setbacks, the puzzle pieces were falling into place one by one.

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><p>AN : I hope you guys enjoyed the Chapter! What's Dartz plans for Elysian and our dear Timaeus? You'll have to stay tuned to find out!


	7. Chapter 7

**Valkyria : Nothing to really say today, only to tell you guys to sit back and enjoy the chapter!**

**Griever : Go on! *shoves the audience* Go read!**

**Beta'd by : Moondalian. Much love to you~!**

**Currently Watching : Resident Evil : Code Veronica Cutscenes.**

**Disclaimer : We claim no rights to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh!**

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><p><em>"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is to try one more time." - Thomas Edison.<em>

**Chapter Seven: Hidden Truths.**

The Kingdom of Sylvantia, located in the most northern region of Eternia, was somewhat of an isolated land. It was not as advanced as Atlantis nor did hold as much magical prowess as Elysian. It survived by more conventional means such as trading and inventing. The people of the land worked hard to make it day by day and through this hard work, Sylvantia produced some of the world's best blacksmiths, weavers, and non-magical doctors. Villages were not too far apart from each other in case of bandit attacks, which were increasing, unfortunately.

Sylvantia's capital, Valendia City, was located in the Northwest corner of the continent. The road to the city was long and hard. Many made the trip every year to become apprentices, soldiers or to attend the small yet intense mage academy.

The city itself was a winding network of streets and alleyways containing shops, taverns, inns, homes, and guilds for mages and mercenaries. The structures of the city were made out of wood and metal to keep out the constant cold their land was cursed with.

As for the people themselves, Sylvantians were pale-skinned and dark-eyed, dressed in long coats, scarves, and gloves to protect themselves. Watching over these hard-working people were the reigning monarchs King Pegasus J. Crawford and his wife Queen Cecelia Crawford. The couple resided in the fabled Illusion Palace, located in the Northern part of the bustling city of Valendia. As the name implies, the Illusion Palace had the power to mask the city with a shield that would make it invisible to the naked eye. The palace itself was a magnificent gray and white stone structure of four wide floors in the order of status. The first and second floors contained the infirmary, kitchens and servant quarters. The third floor hosted noble and quest quarters. And the fourth floor contained the throne room and the royal couple's chambers. The royal couple's chambers were simple, per Cecelia's request. They only held a king-sized, canopy bed with cream-colored silk sheets and pillows, a decent-sized tea table near the closed balcony, two wooden wardrobes, and a simple, yet well-equipped bathing chamber.

"It is getting worse, Your Majesty..." a rough cough echoed throughout the room, causing the pale, blond-haired doctor to flinch slightly before continuing." It is only a matter of time before Her Majesty…-"

A gloved hand was quickly raised to halt the doctor's words. The owner closed his reddish-brown eyes in agony.

"I do not need a time frame of how long my wife will survive the winter." Pegasus shifted his gaze away from the doctor and onto his wife. "The way to cure her is already being taken care of."

"Taken care of…" the doctor repeated, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. The doctor gave Pegasus a weary glance. "If I may ask, Your Majesty. What is this way to cure Her Majesty?"

"You needn't worry about that…" Pegasus murmured. "You are dismissed for now."

The doctor bowed his head. "Yes, Your Majesty." he gave the Queen one last, pitying glance before exiting through the doors.

Pegasus shuffled forward, his footsteps silent thanks to the red, velvet carpeting. He slowly lowered himself onto the bed and grabbed the pale hand of his wife. Pale-blue eyes fluttered open and the owner smiled once her gaze captured his.

"Cecelia." Pegasus whispered, gently tightening his grip on her slender hand. "How are you feeling today?"

"I…am doing better today, darling." Pegasus heart ached at the obvious lie. "What of our people? Have rumors escalated of my illness?"

Cecelia had been stricken by the lung disease that ran in her family. She had reassured him that it had skipped her when she showed no signs by the time she had reached her eighteenth year, but fate was a cruel mistress and she was blindsided by the disease when she was carrying their very first child. The stress of this caused a miscarriage and they had lost their child. Cecilia had gone into a deep depression and had many a time pushed him away. One dark time she had even desperately demanded a divorce. Pegasus had granted her no reprieve of him and had quickly shot down her request for the divorce. He had gone down on his knees and told her, quite firmly, that he would never leave her side no matter what. The miscarriage wasn't her fault, nor was her catching the disease. You could do nothing about hereditary diseases.

He'd watched with a breaking heart as his darling wife finally broke down and thanked him for staying by her and had promised she would never push him away again. Pegasus had thought things would get better after they had gotten their problems out of the way, but he was a fool to think such a thing. Cecelia hadn't recovered. She had steadily gotten worse until the doctor had informed him that she must stay in bed. He'd called the best doctors in his country, non-magical and magical, and had gotten the same response time and time again.

_There is nothing we can do for her. _

He had resigned to watching his wife withering away, until one morning he had received a letter through the magical fire on his desk. Curious, he had opened it up and the contents had made his heart stop.

_I know how to cure your Queen. Respond if you wish to know. _

Suspicious of the letter, but his hope soaring, Pegasus had quickly written back. He had received a reply minutes later.

_You are a mage, correct? Your powers are of Hypnosis and Mind control? There is a boy I wish for you to try those magnificent powers on. Do this and we can start on your wife's treatments. _

Suspicion and wariness had quickly replaced the hope that he'd had. His eyes had lowered further on the piece of paper and had found a single name.

_Dartz. _

It wasn't a well-kept secret that Cecelia had been stricken by disease; most of Valendia City knew and the citizens sent flowers, herbal medicine and prayers for their Queen would make a recovery. The thought that Dartz, the Atlantian King, knew was more than disturbing. The only conclusion that he could come up with was that the man had his eyes in his Kingdom. It wasn't uncommon for monarchs to send their own people to blend in with other countries and to make sure they weren't plotting against them. It was a paranoid tactic, but a handy one. Forcing his anger down, he had written his reply and sent it back. The final response took longer, but he wasn't disappointed.

_I thank you for your cooperation, King Crawford. In time I shall send you a boy. You do not need to know his name. Simply follow the instructions that he carries with him. Once you have done this, the treatments that are needed for the Queen will arrive. _

Pegasus had been unable to do anything but wait until this child had arrived. Arrive he had, on the steps of his palace with instructions in hand and demanding to see him. Pegasus had been surprised at how young the boy had been. He had taken the boy to the throne room and read the instructions. They were simple: brainwash the boy as thoroughly as possible and keep him safe until an ambassador came to retrieve him. With no direction on what to erase and what to keep, Pegasus had placed a spell on the boy that could easily be broken and a small fail safe that would erase the boy's memories. He didn't know what the plans for the boy were but the least he could do was take away the pain of the sins he would most likely commit.

Like the letters had said, an ambassador by the name of Amelda arrived on his doorstep to retrieve the boy. Pegasus had asked for the treatment, but much to his horror Amelda informed him that he did not have it and told him to wait for a response. One never came.

Until now.

_Failed. Meet. Elysian. _

He theorized that whatever plans they'd had for that boy must have fallen through, and Dartz wanted to meet in Elysian. Pegasus had had a dreadful feeling, but he had forced it down. He was a King and a husband; he could not afford to have doubts or to make mistakes.

"No, my beloved." Pegasus murmured. "The people send their love and prayers as always."

Cecelia's cracked lips pulled into a smile. "I…I heard the servants saying that you were leaving for Elysian soon. Has something happened?"

"No, nothing has happened. I need to re-establish certain ties with Elysian other than those of trade. It would be good for us to have a treaty with them in case something happens."

"…I see. Will you be back soon?"

Pegasus forced up his best smile and directed it down to his wife. "Yes, I promise."

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><p>Arriving at the Celestial Palace was a quiet affair. Yuugi, along with Jou, had settled in the upper floors next to the Emperor's own chambers. He had been given a beautiful room with light blue-colored walls and white carpeting. The bed he had been given was much larger than the one he'd had at home, covered in dark blue-colored silks sheets and more pillows than he knew what to do with. There was a nice cherry oak wardrobe, the clothes he'd brought along hanging inside, and the bathing room next to that.<p>

One part of the room that Yuugi enjoyed the most was the small balcony through a set of double glass doors. It gave him a view of the city of Asrai. Yuugi could imagine himself standing out there during the many nights to come.

The next morning, the Emperor came to retrieve him and Jou and took them to the dining room for breakfast. The room was richly decorated with marble floors and a long, rectangular table, providing thirty chairs. The table itself was covered by a pristine, white tablecloth. Windows lined the right side of the wall, covered with red curtains to protect the occupants from the sun. Three unlit, golden chandeliers lined the ceiling.

Jou nudged Yuugi's arm and grinned down at him. "Imagine breakfast, lunch and dinner in a room like this! Oh this is going to be so awesome!"

"I'm glad you both like it." Atemu spoke up. He made his way to the head of the table, waving them along. "Take your seats and we can wait for the others to come along."

"Others?" Yuugi questioned, sliding into the chair on Atemu's right side.

"The Council of Val'ista. They have been eagerly waiting to meet you."

"If they are all like Councilmen Kaiba, then I don't want to meet them," Jou muttered from the chair next to him. Yuugi reached up to cover his mouth and hide his smile.

"I assure you," Atemu struggled to hold off his own grin, "that the other members are more lax than Seto." The Emperor turned his gaze away from them when the creaking of the double doors reached his ears, he smiled when a blonde-haired woman dressed in a silk, lavender dress with bell sleeves slipped in, along with a darkly tanned, bald man with pale blue eyes, and a pale-skinned man with ebony hair.

"Is this him?" the blonde-haired woman purred once she was within earshot. Yuugi blushed and ducked his head when enchanting, violet eyes locked onto him.

"Yes," Atemu confirmed. "Yuugi, this is Mai Kujaku, a member of the Council of Val'ista. The two men behind her are Councilmen Yoshimori and Shada. Mai, Yoshimori, Shada, this is Yuugi's friend, Jounouchi Katsuya."

"It is a pleasure to meet the Seer at long last." Yoshimori held out his hand towards Yuugi and Jou, which both of them shook. "It is also a pleasure to meet one of your friends."

"Indeed it is," Shada agreed, walking around the table and taking a seat on Atemu's left side. "I apologize, Yuugi -if I may call you that?" when Yuugi nodded, Shada continued. "That your second trip to the palace went unnoticed and you did not receive the proper welcome."

"Oh..." Yuugi let out a nervous laugh. "It-It's fine, Lord Shada. I was perfectly fine with how I came to the palace." He preferred this way instead of countless servants and nobles dogging his every step. He would have to thank Atemu for that if they were ever in private.

"Where are Seto and Raphael?" Atemu asked once everyone was seated. Mai shrugged her slender shoulders in response.

"I have no clue where Raphael is -no surprise there. As for Seto, he told me that he would not be joining us for breakfast this morning and would be visiting Mokuba for the day." she turned to Jou with a sly smile on her painted lips. "He left a message for you, Jounouchi. 'Please tell that blond-haired novice that we will be begin his mage training this evening'"

Yuugi watched as his friend's face turned a very interesting shade of red. He quickly reached up and covered his friend's mouth to stop the onslaught of insults he knew were coming.

"Thank you for the message, Mai," removing his hand, he gave Jou a level stare, which surprisingly enough kept him silent.

The servants came through the doors behind Atemu, carrying trays of bacon, pancakes, eggs, and jugs of juice and water. He could practically feel Jou's smile beside him at the sight of the food. Yuugi quietly thanked the servant when she placed a plate in front of him. It wasn't until a few moments into breakfast that Mai spoke up again.

"Why don't you two tell us about yourselves?" she smiled at the both of them. "Yuugi? What part of the city are you from?"

"The Eastern sector," Yuugi replied immediately, giving Jou a quick grin. "My grandfather and I run a potions shop and Jou's family runs a weapons shop."

"Merchant families." Shada stated. He turned to Jou. "You look old enough to inherit your family's business. Are you going to?"

Jou scratched the back of his head and laughed sheepishly. "Well, considering I'm staying here for the time and beginning mage training, that's going to have to wait for a bit." he ruffled Yuugi's hair. "And don't even think about feeling guilty, buddy."

"No," Yuugi murmured, lowering his gaze. "Of course not."

The rest of breakfast went smoothly enough. Yuugi had found out that Mai was a high mage and that she was from a small village on the coast of Elysian. She had come to the city to attend the Mage Academy and had graduated at the age of seventeen. She had joined the mage's division in the Elysian Imperial Forces shortly after. Surprisingly enough, Yoshimori had been the captain of her squad. Both of them had been pulled out and asked to become new members of the Council, which they had eagerly accepted.

Shada was a former instructor of Mage Academy. He had specifically taught those who wanted to become members of the Imperial Forces. Yuugi found all three members very warm-hearted and he truly felt welcomed by the time breakfast was finally done and their dishes had been cleared away. Atemu lead them out of the dining room after bidding Mai, Shada and Yoshimori goodbye.

"I am sure that you will meet Raphael at another time." Atemu lead them down the hall and stopped before a glowing transportation rune. "But for now, why don't I give you both a tour of the palace?"

The chance to explore the palace with the Emperor, one of the few people who knew every nook and cranky of the place like the back of his own hand, was too tempting to pass up. The only response he could give was an excited nod, to which the Emperor and Jou laughed joyfully.

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><p>The Mage Academy of Elysian was a towering, four story building with a courtyard on the East, a spacious garden on the West, and a pool in the South.<p>

The classrooms were on the first and second floors. Each room held fifteen to thirty desks and a chalkboard in the front. Small magical barriers in the shape of unlit candles were placed on each teacher's desk in case students got out of control. The third and fourth floors were the dormitories, used for students who were from villages and smaller cities outside of the capital.

Seeing the place again brought both good and bad memories back to Seto's mind. He would admit that he missed this place sometimes. It had become like a second home to him when life in the palace became too much to bear.

"Big Brother!"

A wide smile pulled at Seto's thin lips as he spotted his younger brother running towards him at full speed. He spread his arms wide and expertly caught the heavy bundle.

"Mokuba," Seto whispered into the smaller man's raven hair. "I've missed you."

"I missed you too." Mokuba stepped back and gave him a blinding smile. "How is everything at the palace? Cousin Atemu isn't stressing himself with the recent incident, is he?"

Mokuba Kaiba was a lightly tan young man in his mid-teens. He had raven-black hair falling down past his shoulders that was currently tied in a low ponytail, and wore a standard mage academy uniform, which consisted of dark blue trousers and a short-sleeved shirt. The symbol of the academy, a wooden staff with fire, ice, water, and lighting swirling around it, adorned the pocket of the shirt.

"Atemu is taking care of everything," Seto replied, mentally wondering how Yuugi and Jou's first morning was going. "He is a reliable man, you know that."

"Of course," Mokuba turned away from him. "Is it true, though? All of those rumors? The Seer and the attempt on cousin Atemu's life? Who was it?"

Those were the dreaded questions that Seto didn't want to answer. He knew his younger brother would not back down, though. Mokuba would find out who the assassin was, and he would come running to him with accusations and hurt in those gray-blue eyes. It would be better to tell him now instead of letting him find out the hard way.

"…Do you remember Noah?"

Mokuba's eyes dimmed at the mention of his cousin, but he nodded. "Yes, I remember him. How could I forget? You were so worried about him." Mokuba's eyes suddenly lit up. "Did you find him? Is Noah at the palace-" The raven-haired young man was stopped when Seto shook his head slowly and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I want you to listen to me very carefully, Mokuba." Seto whispered, swallowing to wet his suddenly dry throat. This was the last thing he wanted to be discussing with his brother. "The… The assassin who tried to kill Atemu was Noah-" he was cut off when Mokuba knocked his hand off his shoulder.

"That's not true!" Mokuba's angry voice rang out through the empty courtyard. "Noah would never do such a thing! Why would you even…"

"I would never accuse my cousin of such a thing." Seto hissed angrily, but immediately regretted the action when he saw his brother shrink back. Seto sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry, Mokie, but it's the truth. He snuck in with a disguise. He was under a spell and tried to poison Atemu."

"How…" Mokuba shook his head and closed his eyes to hold off the onslaught of tears. "Where has he been for the past three years? What did those people do to them?"

"I don't know, Mokuba." Seto clenched his fists tightly. "But I promise that I will figure this out." the idea of the mind synch came back unexpectedly and Seto pushed it away. He would not do it until he had exhausted his options, but he had a feeling that moment would be coming all too soon.

"Everything... is going to be alright, isn't it big brother?" the younger man's voice was hesitant and slightly fearful. Seto hated to hear that tone. "Noah is going to be okay, isn't he?"

"Yes, he's going to be just fine, Mokuba."

Seto couldn't bring himself to return his younger brother's relieved smile; not when he had told such a dreadful lie to one of the most important people in his life.

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><p>Yuugi would always remember his first experience using a transportation rune. The moment he stepped on the circular pad, his body was instantly surrounded by a bright blue light and he was zoomed away from the second floor of the palace and taken to the gardens. It wasn't painful, nor was it scary. If anything, it felt slightly ticklish and warm. Under the Emperor's amused gaze, he had made sure that all ten of his fingers and toes were still intact.<p>

"You are all there, Young One." Atemu soothed, still bearing an amused grin at his actions earlier. "The first time using a transportation rune can be quite frightening for some."

Yuugi narrowed his eyes when he caught the teasing tone in the Emperor's voice. He would have loved to see the man's first time and tease him about it.

"That felt really weird," Jou commented. The blond bent down and tapped the stone pad lightly. "They don't have these in the part of the city where Yuugi and I are from." He turned to the Emperor. "How many are these in the palace, Your Majesty?"

"About fifty." was the Emperor's immediate response, grinning shortly after as he saw the younger man's surprised looks. "There are a lot of people living in the palace. If we didn't have these, everyone would be fumbling over each other." Atemu waved an arm at their new location. "As the both of you might have already guessed, these are the palace gardens."

Yuugi took a quick look around. It was definitely not lacking in space, that was for sure. The palace gardens were more of a jungle. He saw many different types of trees -some of them, much to his delight, fruit trees- and types of flowers ranging from roses to sunflowers. The place seemed well taken care of, but it looked like no one had visited in a long time.

"Um," Jou crossed his arms behind his head and gave the Emperor an apologetic look. "This is nice and all, Your Majesty, but do you have an armory, soldiers' quarters, or training rooms that we could see?"

"Alright then," Atemu waved them back towards the transportation rune. "The armory and training rooms it is."

Stepping back onto the glowing pad, Yuugi felt the same warm and tickling sensation as before, appearing before a set of wooden double doors. The sounds of swords clashing and people cheering reached his ears.

"The armory and training rooms meld into one." Atemu explained. He placed a hand on the door and pushed it open. "Keep your ears and eyes open. It is more than swordplay that goes on in here."

Yuugi cautiously stepped into the training rooms and didn't bother to hold back his awe-struck expression at the sight of it. The training rooms looked like more of an arena compared to the small quarters he'd mentally pictured. Men and women dressed in light brown and black armor were leaning against the wall, talking casually. Each of them had a weapon strapped to their back or hip. Turning away, Yuugi saw blades, axes, bows, and staves of different sizes and shapes hanging on the wall, shined and sharpened to perfection.

"This is amazing." Jou breathed from next him. The blond's eyes were darting left and right, up and down, trying to take everything in and memorize it. He turned back to the Emperor with an excited expression. "Do mages train here as well, Your Majesty?"

Atemu heard the underlying question loud and clear, and he shook his head in response. Jou's shoulders sagged and a disappointed sigh escaped his lips.

"Your training will be taking place in a room that Seto will specifically design himself." Atemu explained. He gave the blond a stern frown. "The training you will endure will be long and hard, and Seto is not the most compliant teacher. He will not go easy on you. I want you to give it your best Jounouchi."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The tour of the training rooms continued. Atemu introduced them to many of the more high-ranking soldiers and some lingering mages that were visiting friends or lovers. All of them gave Yuugi and Jou hearty welcomes and some were even bold enough to challenge Atemu to a sword fight or a magical duel. Yuugi was not surprised when the Emperor turned them down and promised a match later.

"Your Majesty?" a soft voice spoke from behind. Yuugi glanced over his shoulder to see a gentler version of Bakura standing behind him.

"This is certainly a surprise." the young man spoke again, bowing his head. "With these recent incidents, I thought you would have been out and about in the city investigating."

"There are some matters I need to attend to before I can assume command of the people investigating the incident." Atemu nudged Yuugi forward. "Yuugi, Jounouchi, this is Ryou Lindel, one of the palace healers. Ryou, this is Yuugi Motou and Jounouchi Katsuya."

"Ah, so you're the one who has the entire palace and the streets of Asrai abuzz." Ryou murmured, giving him a teasing smile. "It is a pleasure to meet the Seer." he turned his head and nodded at Jou. "It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Jounouchi. I hope that we can become friends."

"Same here."

Taking a good look at the healer, Yuugi decided that Ryou was indeed a more innocent version of Bakura. Ryou had a pale skin and deep brown eyes contrary to Bakura's tan skin and rough demeanor. He wondered if the two knew each other.

"Why are you here, Ryou?" Atemu questioned, staring the petite healer down. "You are usually by Ishizu's side. Has she given you a reprieve for the day?"

"No, Your Majesty. When has she ever?" Ryou's comment was not one of bitterness, but of fond exasperation. "A few training injuries have occurred and I was called down here."

Ryou had graduated from the Mages Academy only a year ago and had gained the praise of many of his instructors as one of the best healers they had seen in years. He had quickly been taken under Ishizu Ishtar's, the head palace healer, wing.

"I see. Do not let her run you into the ground with assignments." Atemu gave the pale-skinned young man a nod of the head. "We'd best be going now, if the both of you have looked long enough?" when Yuugi and Jou nodded, Atemu bid Ryou goodbye and led them back out of the double doors, leaving the training rooms behind.

The remainder of the tour went by swiftly. They explored the three main floors, and visited the kitchens, the servant's quarters, and the chambers that some of the nobles had made their home. Yuugi was introduced to so many people it left his head spinning. They stopped by the infirmary to meet the head healer, Ishizu Ishtar, who was a nice yet firm woman who demanded order and obedience from the ones around her. Despite meeting so many people and finally seeing the palace that towered over the city, it was the final place that Atemu showed them that literally took the breath out of his body.

The Emperor had taken them into a large room that was only accessible through means of a transportation rune. The room was very richly decorated with paintings hanging on every wall from corner to corner. All of the paintings were of men and women dressed in rich, red and golden robes, wearing a winged crown upon their heads. Under each picture was a crown with a different jewel in the middle of each one, as well as a specific weapon. The only light that entered the room came in through a stained-glass skylight, bathing the room in different shades of red, blue, and gold.

"I wanted to save the best for last," Atemu slowly paced around the room. "This room holds the identity of my ancestors, the past rulers of Elysian. Upon a ruler's death, their portrait and crown are placed here for future generations to see, and they are immortalized."

"I understand the portraits," Jou spoke up, staring at a woman with crimson-red eyes similar to Atemu's. "But what about the crowns and weapons? They have different jewels in them. What's that about?"

"The different color of the jewels represent what element that particular ruler possessed, and the weapon is what they mastered through their childhood and adulthood."

"Where are your parents?" Yuugi asked softly. He turned in the direction Atemu nodded his head in and found the portrait on the left side of the room. It was the only one that held a man and a woman. The woman was smiling in the picture, her dark ruby eyes shining with a power that the painter had managed to capture. Before he could look at it further, Jou's sharp gasp caught his attention.

"What's the matter, Jou?"

"Is-Is that who I think it is?" The blond pointed to a mural that was hanging at the very back. "The three Gods of Eternia?"

Wanting to take a closer look at the mentioned mural, Yuugi gradually made his way over with the Emperor and Jou trailing behind him. When he was close enough, he reached forward and traced the figures carefully. His grandfather had told him many stories of the Gods, and had shown him many pictures of them, but he had never seen one with such detail.

"His Seer ability wasn't Leon's only talent." Atemu reached forward and placed a hand on the mural. "This was a gift from him to the Emperor of his time at the end of the war."

"The Emperor of Seer Leon's time didn't trust him, right?" Yuugi blinked in confusion at Atemu. "He locked him away once rumors of the war had started."

"You are correct, Young One," Atemu removed his hand from the mural and flashed him a sly grin. "You will have to read further into Leon's writings to see how this painting came to be. Now, would you like to hear the legend of these three?"

"It's been such a long time since I heard that legend," Jou sat down on one of the three stairs that were placed before the mural. He looked at Yuugi and patted the spot next to him. Yuugi chuckled and sat down next to the blond. "Ready when you are, Your Majesty."

Atemu rolled his eyes playfully before starting. "The three gods," he placed his hand on the mural, starting with a golden-winged dragon. "Ra," he moved his hand over to a large black and violet snake with golden eyes. "Leviathan." his hand slid to a stop before a black, horned creature. "and Zorc, reigned over the world of Eternia. Ra reigned in the western to eastern lands of Elysian. Zorc reigned in the northern lands of Sylvantia. And Leviathan reigned in the Southern waters of Atlantis. To see humanity flourish, all three gods blessed the world with magic and silently waited in the wings. Humanity praised these ethereal beings for their blessings and built shrines dedicated to each of them.

"Ra loved the people of Elysian deeply and often visited them in the disguise of a human. Leviathan connected with the royal families of Atlantis. Zorc, awed and feared by his people, grew jealous of the relationship his fellow gods had with their people, and out of spite began plotting the downfall of both nations. Fearing the wrath of Zorc, the people of Sylvantia launched a war against the Kingdoms of Elysian and Atlantis, which in turn launched a battle between the three gods who had once been dear friends. With their combined strength, Ra and Leviathan managed to defeat Zorc and his forces. Unfortunately, Zorc escaped and fled into the darkness.

"With their God gone and defeated, the people of Sylvantia surrendered and closed themselves off from the world, no longer communicating with Elysian or Atlantis. As a safety precaution, Leviathan and Ra reduced the magical abilities of the Sylvanti people significantly, only leaving them enough to get by and turning them into the trade and inventive people they are today. As for Ra and Leviathan, the both of them fell into a fitful sleep to recover from the dreadful war, leaving humanity to continue on its own."

"Have you… ever wondered where Zorc went exactly, Your Majesty?" Jou questioned quietly. The blond rose from his seat and stared at the mural. "The legend says he went 'into the darkness'. Where exactly is this _darkness?" _

"Not even I know the answer to that question, Jounouchi." Atemu replied quietly. "Let Ra protect us if Zorc ever does decide to reappear."

The Emperor and Jou's voices drifted away as a familiar, piercing pain came to his head. A scream unwillingly escaped his lips when the pain increased, alerting the older men in the room.

"Yuugi!" he vaguely felt strong hands grab his arms. "Are you alright?"

For the second time in a matter of days, images flashed through his mind.

_A man with a scar over his eye, wearing armor the color of shining emeralds smiling down at him, his dark grey eye honest and friendly. _

_A silver-haired man with pained, reddish-brown eyes staring at a white and gray stone palace before turning away with a group of soldiers dressed in heavy black cloaks. _

_A man with green hair and golden eyes wearing rich, blue and white robes standing before an altar of a giant snake. _

When the images and pain finally _stopped_, Yuugi found himself staring into the worried, crimson eyes of the Emperor before everything faded to black.

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><p>AN : Cliffhanger~! Don't you love them? I know I do. See you soon.


	8. Chapter 8

Valkyria : No comments today folks. We just hope you enjoy the Chapter today. 

Griever : Have fun. 

Disclaimer : We claim no rights to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh. 

Beta'd by : Moondalian. Thanks as always~! 

Current Song : Dust to Dust by Masashi Hamauzu.

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><p><em>Above all things, never be afraid. The enemy who forces you to retreat is himself afraid of you at that very moment. - Andre Maurois<em>

Chapter Eight: First Lessons and Impressions.

The sounds of crickets and the rustling of trees drew Yuugi back to the state of consciousness. Letting a small moan escape his throat, Yuugi slowly opened his eyes, and found Jou staring down at him. His lips pulled into a weak smile when the blond's shoulders sunk with obvious relief.

"I've never been so relieved to see someone open their eyes," Jou moved away, and sunk into the chair that was beside his bed. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," he croaked out. He turned his head slightly and found the Emperor and Lady Ishtar near the open doors of his balcony, talking quietly. He turned back towards Jou, who was still watching him anxiously. "How did I get back here?"

"I carried you here," Jou nodded his head at the Emperor and Ishizu. "His Majesty and Lady Ishtar tended to you. You scared the hell out of us when you started screaming like that."

Yuugi lowered his gaze to the silk bed sheets and clenched his fists. "I'm sorry."

Jou brushed his apology away and smiled. "Don't worry about it. You just concentrate on getting some rest, you hear?"

"Young One?" Yuugi turned, and spotted the Emperor and Lady Ishtar coming his way. He forced his lips into a reassuring smile. He knew that the ruler wasn't going to believe it, but he would at least try to soothe the Emperor's most likely frayed nerves.

"How are you feeling?" Atemu reached forward, and clasped his hand between his own. "Still in pain?"

Ishizu placed a cool hand on his forehead and Yuugi couldn't help but close his eyes at the gesture. "You are not prone to fevers after your visions, are you?" she moved her hand off his forehead and pressed it against his cheeks. "You feel a little warm."

"He's always a little warm after the visions," Jou responded for him. "His temperature will go down once he gets some more rest."

Yuugi felt the Emperor tighten his grip on his hand almost to the point of pain. He subtly tried to pull away and was relieved when the ruler understood the message loud and clear and loosened his grip.

"It would do no good to ask any further questions, Your Majesty." Ishizu finally removed her hands, and gave Yuugi a gentle smile. "We must let him continue to rest for now."

"Very well." The Emperor pulled away completely and rose from the bed. "I shall see you when the sun rises, Young One."

The Emperor and Ishizu bid them both goodnight before leaving, closing the door firmly behind themselves. Yuugi felt slightly relieved that he would not have to answer any questions until the morning. That would give him enough time to gather his thoughts together.

"Here, let me close this," Jou rose from his chair and made his way over to the balcony doors. "Wouldn't want anyone to sneak in and you know…" he closed the door and locked them tightly.

A slightly bitter chuckle escaped Yuugi's throat at the blond's comment. Trust Jou to be so blunt about things like being killed in the middle of the night by an unknown assassin.

"He was really worried about you, you know?" Jou said, making his way back over to him and taking a seat in the previously vacant chair.

"I know." Yuugi replied shortly as his left hand twitched. He could still feel the tight grip of the Emperor's hands around his. He could still remember the concern in the Emperor's eyes before he'd passed out.

"Are you going to tell him about your vision in the morning?"

Yuugi blinked at the question before murmuring. "I was surprised that he didn't ask about it outright."

Jou shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe he didn't want to do it in front of Lady Ishtar?" A thoughtful frown crossed the blond's face. "Yuugi? Your visions have always been sporadic and slightly painful. This is the second one you've had in a matter of days. Is it possible that your visions are becoming more powerful?"

Yuugi didn't want to think about it. He did not want to admit that it was possible that Jou was right either. The visions that he had experienced as a child had been fuzzy at best. He had only been able to see faces shrouded in shadow, and places in black and white. The pain hadn't been too bad either. It had just been a small headache or a fever; nothing like this.

"Yuugi-" he quickly shook his head, stalling any words that Jou would've put out and grabbed the blankets to stop his hands from shaking. He just wanted to close his eyes and sleep the rest of the night away.

Jou, as if reading his mind, slowly rose from his chair and patted his still clenched hand. "We'll talk more tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay."

Yuugi buried himself deeper into his sheets and closed his eyes when the door clicked shut, signifying Jou's departure. He let the images and the pain of his vision fade away as he surrendered his body to a fitful sleep.

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><p>A sickening crack echoed throughout the dark halls of the interrogation rooms before the body of the guard on duty dropped to the stone floor. Raphael dragged the body away from the torch-lit door and placed it against the wall. The second guard shift wouldn't start for another few hours. That would give him enough time to do what he needed and leave. Raphael slowly twisted the doorknob and pulled open the door leading into Noah's small room.<p>

Walking into the room, he spotted the younger man curled into a ball, fast asleep. He leaned against the door and stared at the slumbering boy. He knew that it would be a risk to do this; to him and to Noah. However, he would take those risks in stride to insure that his King's plans would never be discovered.

Raphael reached down, and gently shook Noah awake. He quietly watched deep blue eyes flutter open before they landed on him.

"Who?" He stepped back as Noah sat upright on the hard bed. "Who are you?"

"Raphael, member of the Council of Val'ista. I am here to ask you if remember anything as to where you were for the past three years. Councilmen Kaiba seemed unable to get any information out of you."

Noah shifted on the bed and gave him a nervous smile. "He did not, but I am sorry to inform you that nothing has come back yet."

"I see." Raphael placed a gloved hand on Noah's shoulder before continuing. "The Council has considered a mind synch, but only if you give your consent."

"…I don't understand." Noah shook his head. "Cousin Seto was adamant about not giving me the mind synch. What changed his mind so suddenly?"

"There was an attack on the festival grounds in the city." Raphael responded smoothly. "We think that it might be the same person who kidnapped and brainwashed you. The sooner we find out what happened, the sooner the people in the city will feel safer."

"And I will remember everything?" Noah's tone was one of caution and fear. Raphael nodded his head and forced his lips into a fake grin.

Raphael placed his hand on Noah's head. "You will remember everything. Now, close your eyes and relax."

He'd had no visible contact with the Seer yet, and he knew that Dartz would be displeased with his progress. The only thing he could do for now was to make sure that Noah remembered nothing about the last three years of his life.

Taking a deep breath, Raphael slowly gathered what little energy there was around them, and slowly felt his consciousness meld into Noah's.

Raphael forced himself not to flinch at the overwhelming assault of emotions that he experienced once his astral body entered Noah's mind.

One by one he saw Noah's memories.

The day he had met Seto and Mokuba, along with his Aunt and Uncle.

Birthday Parties and Balls.

Meeting Atemu and the former Emperor and Empress of Elysian.

The Entrance Ceremony for the Mage Academy.

Meeting Headmaster Hawkins and his fellow dorm mates.

The day of his kidnapping.

Raphael pressed his magical energy against each memory, causing them to shatter like glass. He wanted nothing to remain no matter how insignificant it was.

As he shattered each memory, and the emotions that came along with them, he failed to notice something. He did not notice how his magic brought back small shards of the specific emotions of the memories.

Satisfied with the damage he'd caused, Raphael slowly pulled his astral body out of Noah's mind, and brought himself back to a state of complete consciousness. He removed his hand from Noah's head, and laid the boy down on the bed.

Raphael closed the now blank, blue eyes, and pulled the sheet up to the younger man's shoulders. Finding Noah in this state would cause Seto to go into a rage and would pull away whatever suspicion that was on him for the time being.

He gave Noah one last look-over before leaving the room. He could only hope that this would appease King Dartz for the time being.

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><p>As promised, the Emperor appeared at his door the next morning. Yuugi was led down to the second floor for a quick breakfast, and then taken to the palace gardens via transportation rune.<p>

"How are you feeling?" The Emperor sat down on the wooden bench near a stone fountains. "Better, I hope?"

"I'm fine." Yuugi replied. He smiled at the Emperor, who returned it with one of his own. "Is there something that we need to talk about?"

He bit the inside of his mouth to prevent himself from smiling at the surprised expression that the Emperor was sporting.

"I mean you no disrespect, Your Majesty, but I know you did not bring me here for a morning stroll."

"No," Atemu sat down next to him and leaned against the back of the bench. "I did not. Do you feel comfortable telling me about the vision you received?"

"Yes, it wouldn't be the first time I have told someone about my visions." Yuugi sighed heavily before continuing. "I saw a man with green armor and gray eyes," he glanced up at the Emperor. "Does that sound familiar?"

"No." Atemu responded, staring him directly in the eyes. "What else did you see?"

"A man with silver hair. He had reddish brown eyes. He was with a group of men with heavy black cloaks."

"Pegasus, King of Sylvantia." Atemu clarified. "Did you see what he was doing?"

"Leaving." Yuugi replied softly. "He was leaving a city."

"The question is; where was he heading?" Atemu gave him a grateful smile. "I appreciate you telling me-"

"There was something else, Your Majesty." Yuugi interrupted with an apologetic smile. "Another man with green hair and golden eyes. He was praying before a snake altar."

"King Dartz of Atlantis." Atemu's lips pulled into a grim frown. "You received a vision of the rulers of Atlantis and Sylvantia. You will have to pardon me for saying this, Young one, but this does not bode well."

"How so?"

"Elysian has may have established trade routes with Sylvantia and Atlantis, but our relationships are rocky at best. We have recovered from the war hundreds of years ago, but the trust we once had in each other is almost nonexistent. The fact that you saw Pegasus leaving what was most likely his capital city must mean something is in the works."

"You don't think that he was the one behind the attack on the festival, do you?"

"Sylvantia has limited magical resources." Atemu explained. "Remember the legend? Leviathan and Ra reduced their magical abilities. I will not keep them out of the loop when considering who tried to assassinate me, though."

"What would they gain if they had succeeded?" Yuugi shuddered at that particular thought before pressing on. "They wouldn't be able to take over this land."

"No." Atemu agreed, giving him a bitter grin. "They could watch it descend into chaos, and most likely civil war. I have no heir to assume the throne if something were to happen to me. It would be up to the Council of Val'ista to decide who would rule this land."

"What about the other man that I saw? King Dartz? Could he have anything to do with this?"

"That," Atemu responded with frustration in his tone, "I do not know. Dartz is a very manipulative man. Not even I can tell what he is scheming."

"I'm sorry." The apology earned him a bewildered look, and Yuugi set out to explain himself further. "I'm sorry that I could not help you more, Your Majesty. King Dartz and King Pegasus could be planning something against us, and I can only provide you with vague clues."

"There is no need to apologize for something that you cannot help, Young One." Atemu reached over and ruffled his hair. "Without your visions, I would most likely be blindsided. I am glad that you are here."

Yuugi turned his head away so that the Emperor could not see his face was flushed from the praise he had received.

"There is something else that I wanted to discuss with you, Young One."

Yuugi turned his gaze back to the Emperor and hoped that the blush from his face had calmed somewhat.

"Yes, Your Majesty?"

"I think that it is time to formally introduce you to the people of Elysian, and begin your magical training."

Yuugi stared at the Emperor to see if the man was joking, but he saw nothing of the sort in Atemu's eyes.

"Is this really the right time? I mean, I understand that you want me to start training to sense magic, but I don't think that this is the right time to introduce me to the people…."

"I understand that you are not ready for this, but the people have been patient enough about not seeing you. With these recent incidents they need some sort of relief."

"Do you really think that having me appear before the people of Asrai will give them some kind of comfort, Your Majesty? I disagree." His words were met with a look that said that he should explain himself, and Yuugi continued. "I think the people will be happy to have you appear before them, and telling them that all will be well."

Atemu closed his eyes with a small smile on his face, and Yuugi noticed that it was the first time that he had seen the Emperor look so content.

"They will want to meet you one day, Young One." Atemu opened his eyes and stared at him with serious crimson eyes. "As for your magical training, I think I would be the one best suited to teach you all that you need to know."

"Oh." Yuugi fought for the right words, and started again. "It would be an honor, Your Majesty, but don't you have duties to attend to?"

"That I do." Atemu smirked. "But, you are my main priority for the moment, Young One."

This time, Yuugi couldn't hide the blush that colored his cheeks from the Emperor's eyes.

* * *

><p>"This is it?" Jou's sceptical voice echoed throughout the mostly white room. "It isn't much of a training room."<p>

Seto had arrived at his door earlier that morning and had demanded that he get dressed. His request for breakfast and a bath had been shot down by a glare so cold that it could have frozen blood.

"It is more than it appears." Seto's deep voice rang out. "There are magical barriers in the wall that will activate the minute one of your future haywire spells decides to hit me."

"Can we get started now?" He didn't want to stand here and argue with this infuriating man all day long. He wanted to get back and hang out with Yuugi.

"Anxious to start releasing those child's spells?" Seto mocked with a smirk on his thin lips. "Walk to the center and take a seat."

Jou did as he'd been ordered and sat cross-legged on the floor. He was grateful for the soft mats that the older man had set up. He wouldn't be able to concentrate if his butt started hurting from the rock-hard floor.

Seto sat cross-legged across from him, and Jou was instantly hit with the smell of spices. He shifted on the floor to disguise the shiver that ran down his spine at the smell.

"Magic," Seto began softly, "is all around us. It is in the air we breathe, in the wind blowing around us, in the water we drink, and the ground we stand on. To use this magic, we need to exhibit a certain amount of control."

"Our emotions?" Jou spoke up, grinning at Seto's slightly surprised look. "My friend, Anzu Mazaki, attended the mage academy and told us a few things that are taught there."

"I see," Seto murmured. "That makes things slightly easier in the long-run. Your friend may have told you that emotions control your magic, but that is only one part of it. You will need to be one with magic, specifically your element, in order to call it out."

"How am I supposed to do that?"

Seto gave him an amused smirk before replying. "Through mediation. Your first lesson will not start by throwing out spells left and right, but with mediation. I hope you are good at staying still for long periods of time."

Jou watched with anger boiling in his veins as Seto calmly shut his cerulean eyes and took several deep breaths.

"You can't be serious!" Jou hissed incredulously. "You can't expect me to sit here and mediate!"

Seto opened one eye and smirked at the blond. "That is exactly what I want you to do. Now, if you want to progress towards your next lesson, I suggest you close those puppy-dog eyes of yours and mediate."

Seto couldn't help the victorious chuckle that escaped his throat when Jou directed several curses at him before closing his amber eyes.

The mediation lesson continued for another two hours before a series of frenzied knocks interrupted student and teacher and snapped them out of their peaceful states.

Seto rose from his position and cracked his back before heading to the small door and pulling it open. A haggard-look guard stood behind it; panting with a single piece of paper in his hand.

"What's the matter?"

"High Lord Kaiba," the guard panted heavily, "you must come with me immediately. There is a dire situation with the assassin, and we have received a letter via magical flame."

"What is the problem with the assassin?" He didn't want to worry about the letter for now. It wasn't more important than the welfare of his cousin.

The guard suddenly looked hesitant before replying. "The assassin has become comatose. The medic mages have identified the workings of a clean mind synch."

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><p>AN : What a way to end it eh? I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, and see you soon.


	9. Chapter 9

Valkyria : Another update! We have officially passed the one-hundred review mark! Thank so much guys.

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Disclaimer : We claim no rights to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh

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Current Song **: The Fairy Waltz by Ayako Saso** [_Folksoul _Original Soundtrack]

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><p><em>"To achieve great things, two things are needed: a plan, and not quite enough time." - Leonard Bernstein. <em>

Chapter Nine: Heaven's Distress.

Yuugi cautiously peeked his head out of his room to spot several men and women wearing distinctive, brown and gold cloaks leaving and entering the rooms that were located down the corridor from Jou and his own room. He winced when a few of the people slammed the doors harshly against the frames. He didn't know what they were looking for, but judging from the curses several of them were muttering out, they weren't getting very far in their search.

Closing the door gently, Yuugi made his way over to his bed where Leon's journal lay open. His conversation with the Emperor had been cut short when Seto had suddenly appeared looking too pale for the ruler's liking. The head councilmen had pulled Atemu aside and had furiously whispered something into his ears. Yuugi had watched as the Emperor's expression had turned grim at whatever information that he had been told.

Without a plausible explanation, Atemu had escorted him back to his room, and had told him to remain there for the time being. He didn't like being left out of the loop, but he'd had no choice in the matter at this point.

Caressing the worn journal, Yuugi returned his attention back to Leon's entries.

_It has been a week since the war started, and we have come out triumphant in the battles near the coasts of Atlantis. The prince convinced His Majesty to let me visit my family, which I was eternally grateful for. _

_I tried to ignore the mostly empty streets that were once full of life as I made my way home, but nostalgia hit me when I arrived in the eastern sector. This place, once alive with the sounds of children running around and customers trying to get a lower price, was gone. _

_The only sounds that I heard came from the wind chimes hanging on the doors of the magic shops nearby. I greeted my parents and older brother enthusiastically when I walked into my childhood home. They told me that the Seers were steadily leaving the city without the Emperor's permission, and those of them who were caught were put in prison or executed. _

_I know now that the Emperor's mind has been lost to the paranoia he exhibited the weeks before the war begun. I also came to the horrifying conclusion that the Prince most likely knew about these executions, and let me into the city intentionally. I spent the remaining daylight hours with my family, and enjoyed their presence. When night descended upon us, I took my leave of them; not only for their safety, but for mine as well. As I walked through the streets, I came to a decision. It is time for me to visit the Divine Order; the home of the Seers. _

Yuugi shut the journal with a snap. He didn't bother to ignore the feeling of nausea that overcame him at the thought of the Seers facing execution just because they'd wanted to be neutral during the war. He vaguely wondered if the same thing would happen to him. He shook his head and dispelled the thought. The Emperor would never let anything like that occur.

As Yuugi re-opened the journal and started to carefully flip the page he'd been on, he had the dreaded feeling of someone – or something – staring at him. Raising his head, Yuugi checked around the room before finally landing on the open balcony doors. He froze on the bed when he spotted a very large silver-colored wolf sitting on there.

He blinked several times before reaching up to pinch himself in the arm just to make sure that what he was seeing was real. How could a wolf get this far up? This room was on the third floor!

Yuugi watched, enthralled, as the wolf moved into his room and closer to him. Fear gripped him and Yuugi found himself unable to move or scream as the wolf finally stopped at the edge of his bed.

"I find it terribly amusing when I see the fear upon people's faces when they gaze upon me."

"You can speak?" Yuugi blurted out. He blushed lightly when the wolf released a rough laugh that was more of a growl.

"Contrary to popular belief, humans such as yourself are not the only creatures that are capable of speech, Young Seer."

"Who are you?" Yuugi made no move to approach the wolf. He still didn't know whether the creature was here to harm him or not.

"I have lived a long life, Young Seer. Names have become somewhat meaningless to me, but if you wish to call me by something, then you may call me Fenrir."

"Fenrir it is, then." He flinched when the large wolf gracefully climbed onto his bed. Fenrir gave him his version of a grin, which was all gleaming fangs. "My name is Yuugi Motou."

"I am well aware of who you are, Young Seer," Fenrir stated lightly. "You have become the talk of the palace."

"You said that you've lived a long life." Yuugi stared at the wolf curiously. "Where are you from?"

"I was born in the deep forests of Sylvantia. The Emperor of Elysian found me as a cub on his way back from a trip there."

"His Majesty found you?"

Another bark like laugh escaped Fenrir's mouth. "Ah, my apologies, Young Seer. I did not mean our current Emperor. I meant the ruler seven hundred years ago."

"S-Seven hundred years…?" Yuugi leaned closer to the wolf. "You don't look seven hundred years old."

"Magic is a wondrous thing, Young Seer." Fenrir gave him another grin. "The Emperor of my time blessed me with a long life span to protect the future rulers of this land. The side-effect of the spell is that I must bond with a ruler every few hundred years or so to reinforce my life."

"You don't get lonely? What of your family?"

"My family was extinguished when I was just a cub, Young Seer." Fenrir's tone was emotionless, and Yuugi fought down a wince. "I exist as a guardian to the Faenor family for as long as they deem it so."

"You are bonded to His Majesty, then?"

Fenrir's deep green eyes flashed in amusement. "Indeed I am. I have watched over that mischievous child since he was old enough to speak."

"I can't imagine His Majesty as being mischievous." he saw the Emperor as regal, graceful, and commanding. There was nothing mischievous or playful about the man.

"Duty has a way of changing a person." Fenrir stated vaguely. "Atemu has sent me to keep an eye on you for the time being, Young Seer."

"Has something happened?"

"Nothing that warrants worry," Fenrir replied. His eyes shifted over to the journal that was laying in Yuugi's hands. "Ah, so that's where it is. Atemu has given you a task, has he?"

"I wouldn't call it that." Yuugi touched the journal lightly and smiled. "I wanted to know about Seers since I am the only one in existence."

"That journal only tells the story of one Seer; one who was willing to tell the world of his trials." Fenrir stared at him with intense emerald eyes. "I think it is time for another to chronicle his journey."

"I have nothing to tell." Yuugi stated, turning away from the wolf's unyielding gaze. "Leon's life was exciting and he is a true hero. No one would want to know of my trials, as you call them."

"Who is to say that you yourself will not become a hero? One even better than Leon himself."

Before Yuugi could respond to that, his chamber door creaked open and Jou peaked in with a grin.

"Hey Yuugi! I brought you- Why is there a wolf lying on your bed?"

* * *

><p>Atemu removed his hand from Noah's forehead and turned to Seto with a grim frown. "Nothing. There is nothing there. No memories or any kind of emotions."<p>

"Someone is screwing with us," Seto snarled viciously. "The tracker team has found nothing?"

"They are still combing the palace." Atemu replied, pulling the covers back over Noah's shoulders. "It is only a matter of time before they find the culprit."

"They could not find that rogue mage so what makes you think they will find the perpetrator for this incident? Those trackers are useless."

"Seto-"

"Do not tell me to remain calm!" Seto gestured wildly at Noah. "Not when this happened right under our noses. He is my cousin-"

"He is my family as well," Atemu interrupted sharply. "Do you think that I like my people and my family to be constantly attacked? It will do us no good to cloud our judgement with anger. I will find the people who have done this. That I promise."

"What has he done to deserve such a fate?" Atemu closed his eyes at the pure pain he heard in his cousin's voice. "He has never harmed a soul."

"Innocent people do nothing, and yet fate deals them a terrible hand. It is, unfortunately, the way life goes at times, cousin." Atemu paused for a moment before speaking again. "We will find them Seto."

"You do not need to tell me that, Atemu." Seto said, his voice weary. "You are a man of your word. Have you looked at the letter yet?"

"I have. Thanks to Yuugi's vision yesterday, I am not surprised to see that King Crawford and Dartz are coming for a visit."

"The question is, why?"

"Yuugi," Atemu stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "It has only been a few days since everything started, and that is more than enough time for it to have reached both lands. Especially if the both of them, or rather one of them, have spies running around."

"You suspect one of our own?" Seto asked, catching on to what the ruler was really saying.

"I'm beginning to assume that Mai was right about Raphael." Atemu started grudgingly. "Though he was accounted for, his story about being in the training quarters during the time of Noah's mind synch was lackluster at best."

"This must wait, Your Majesty," Seto murmured. "With both King Dartz and King Crawford on their way here, we must not let them know of the incidents that have occurred in these past few days."

"I am fully aware of that, Seto." Atemu released a mournful sigh and reached up to rub his temples. "This is beyond frustrating."

Seto let out a bitter chuckle. "Frustration, Your Majesty, is not the word for the situation we have found ourselves in." He turned back to Noah. "We can not leave him down here."

"No," Atemu replied solemnly. "We cannot." he watched as Seto bent down, placed his arms under Noah's slim legs, and lifted him out of the cold bed. "Take him to Ishizu, and tell her to perform a crystal sleep."

"That is a little extreme, is it not?" Seto remarked. "You think we will be able to make Noah better?"

Atemu knew that putting Noah into a crystal sleep, a deep sleep where magic would provide for all of his needs, was the absolute last resort for any kind of injury or spell. They did not have time to gather the necessary mages to wake the young man.

"We will help Noah in time, but for now we will initiate the crystal sleep and keep him safe."

"What more can they do?" Seto muttered bitterly, tightening his grip on his unconscious cousin.

Atemu thought it best not to answer that question.

* * *

><p>"Your Majesty, we are ready to depart."<p>

Dartz nodded his head at Timaeus before turning to his daughter. "I am leaving you in command while I am away, my child."

Christina reached forward and clasped her father's hands in hers. "May Leviathan guide you on your journey, father."

Dartz leaned down and pressed his lips to his daughter's pale forehead. "And may Leviathan keep you safe, my child."

The King pulled away and gently untangled their hands. He turned towards Timaeus and the small squad assembled.

"As all of you have been briefed, we make our way to the land of Elysian to re-establish ties long forgotten and lost. Do not disappoint me when we arrive within the capital city. Show the Elysians that the people of Atlantis are strong, but we can also be kind and trustworthy." he gave each of the soldiers standing before him a stern stare. "This is a journey of peace. Neither I nor General Timaeus will tolerate any sudden superiority complexes. Am I understood?"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Timaeus bowed his head towards Dartz and Christina before turning to the squad of fifteen. "We will reach Elysian borders within seven days time. Be vigilant. We have His Majesty with us and we will protect him with our lives if need be. Am I understood?"

"Yes, sir!"

Timaeus nodded in satisfaction. "Very well, board the ship and I will assign your guard shifts shortly."

Dartz watched quietly as the soldiers, along with his entourage, boarded the magnificent ship before them.

"Timaeus, wait for a moment?"

The Knight-General halted his advance and turned towards his King. "Yes, Your Majesty?"

Dartz smiled at the reverence he heard in the younger man's tone. He was once again glad that he had chosen Timaeus for the tasks ahead. He knew that the man standing before him would become torn between duty to his King, and what would be right in his heart, but it would be worth the sacrifice in the end.

"There is a specific Elysian that I want to be brought back to our Kingdom once this journey is complete."

Timaeus' gray eye darkened with suspicion before it lowered to the wet ground. "A specific Elysian, Your Majesty?"

Dartz ignored the suspicion he saw in the commander's eye and continued. The younger man posed no threat to him, nor would he ever. "Yes, he is Elysian's Seer."

"A-A Seer?" Timaeus breathed. "Surely Emperor Faenor is aware of him or her."

"Of that I have no doubt. However, as you are most likely aware, Elysian's past treatment of the Seers has not been the most…pleasant."

Timaeus' eye darkened with anger. "The execution and imprisonment of the Seers has not been forgotten by the Atlantians or the Sylvantians, Your Majesty."

Dartz let a sincere smile pull at his lips at the anger in the younger general's voice. "Centuries have passed since the passing of Leon von Schroeder. It is indeed a true blessing that a Seer is among us again. It is through the guidance of Leviathan and for the people that I would have the Seer among people who would love him."

"The Seer is a young man?"

"Yes, a little younger than you yourself. I have an informant within Elysian borders and he tells me that the Elysians have not laid eyes upon the Seer yet."

"We will not hide him away as if he were some monster, Your Majesty."

"No, we shall not. That is the true reason for this journey, but it is you that must bring the Seer to our side Timaeus."

Timaeus blinked slowly. "I, Your Majesty? What makes you think that the Seer would come to our side because of me?"

"He will think of Atlantis as his home if he has someone to welcome him there with open arms and heart."

Dartz, thankfully, did not have to wait long for the true meaning of his words to reach the Knight. His lips twitched when a very light flush appeared on Timaeus' cheeks.

"You mean for me to court him, Your Majesty?" Timaeus coughed lightly. "I mean you no disrespect, Your Majesty, but do you know if the Seer fancies men?"

"You are a handsome man, Timaeus." Dartz put his hand on the armored shoulder. "I am sure that not even the Seer would be able to spurn your advances. Will you take on this task I have set before you? If you succeed, then all of Atlantis will praise you, and the Seer will be safe."

"If it is your will, Your Majesty, then I shall carry it out."

* * *

><p>"You will not see him again today, child?"<p>

Atemu opened his eyes and spotted Fenrir beside him. He had always hated how the wolf was able to use transportation magic so easily.

"No," the ruler murmured. "Let him have peace for the moment." He reached down, picked the letter off his desk, and read it for what seemed like the hundredth time.

_Emperor Atemu Faenor of the Kingdom of Elysian. _

_I beg your pardon for the abrupt arrival of this letter, but I am writing to inform you that I, along with King Crawford of Sylvantia, will be coming to visit your lands. The both of us have agreed that it is time to re-establish ties. I do sincerely hope that you will not be displeased with our arrivals? _

_King Crawford and I hope that we will leave your lands with signed treaties, stating we have become strong and resourceful allies; the same as we were before the wars that tore our countries apart._

_We look forward to gazing upon the prosperity and hospitality of Elysian. _

_Yours sincerely. _

_King Dartz of the Kingdom of Atlantis. _

Atemu set the letter back down and turned to Fenrir, who had taken up watching him quietly. "What do you think of Yuugi?"

"The child is very humble of his own abilities. I admire that he does not take to the limelight because he is the only Seer in existence." Fenrir moved closer and nudged his head against Atemu's arm. "What is troubling you?"

"King Dartz and King Crawford are on their way as we speak. I am not the idiot they think I am. I know that they have heard the rumors about Yuugi's appearance."

"Of course they have," Fenrir lay down next to the Emperor's feet. "It will take the both of them a solid week or more to arrive within our borders. Until then we must think of something to keep the Young Seer safe."

"What do you have in mind?"

Fenrir was silent for a moment before replying. "… It would not hurt for you to get engaged, Atemu."

Atemu froze in his seat and gave the wolf laying before him a blank look. "… You mean for me to marry, Yuugi?"

"Unless your counterparts want to risk war, they will not take your consort away now will they?"

"They would be fools to do such a thing," Atemu agreed. "The problem that lays ahead for us is Yuugi actually agreeing to this farce."

"Who said it was a farce?" Fenrir's voice held amusement, but Atemu did not miss the serious tone that lay underneath it.

"You cannot be serious, Fenrir-"

"Just think of it, Atemu." Fenrir interrupted smoothly. "The reigning Emperor of Elysian, who is a magical prodigy and has brought his land back to prosperity, and Yuugi Motou, the beloved Seer. It will be a match that will go down in history."

"I am not ruling these lands to go down in history. I do so to protect the people and the coming generations."

"Be that as it may, Atemu, you still need to protect the young Seer. So, what say you? Will you take Yuugi's hand in marriage? Or at least consider this engagement?"

Atemu could not imagine what Yuugi would say if he were to bring this subject up. He did not know the young man enough to guess at a reaction.

"We have a little over a week to decide on this matter. I will promise to talk this over with him, Fenrir, nothing more and nothing less."

* * *

><p>AN : With Dartz and Pegasus on the way. What is Atemu going to do? And what about the marriage proposal? So many things to think about and do! But! You guys won't know anything until the next chapter *grin* Hope you Enjoyed reading. Until next time!


	10. Chapter 10

Valkyria : Two updates and only a day apart! Aren't you guys happy?

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Disclaimer : We claim no rights to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh!

Beta'd by : Moondalian. Thanks a bunch~!

Current Song : Paradiso ~Star Ocean~ Bayonetta Soundtrack

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><p><em>"Life is made up, not of great sacrifices or duties, but of little things, in which smiles and kindnesses and small obligations, given habitually, are what win and preserve the<em> _heart, and secure comfort." - Sir Humpry Davy_

Chapter Ten: Intertwining Destinies.

Raphael took several deep breaths and pushed himself off the wall before continuing down the corridor to his chambers. He forced down the sudden surge of emotions that assaulted him, and increased his pace. The sooner he'd get to the privacy of his chambers and away from prying eyes, the better off he would be.

"Raphael? Raphael!"

Raphael glanced over his shoulder and mentally cursed when he saw Mai trailing after him, her lips thinned with anger. He didn't have the time or the patience to deal with the female high mage at the moment.

"Mai? You look displeased about something. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, you can do something for me." Mai crossed her arms under her breasts, and pinned him down with a disapproving glare. "Would you mind telling me why you did not show up for the meeting a few hours ago? With these two incidents over our heads, you cannot afford to miss any vital information."

"My apologies," Raphael murmured. "I have not been feeling well."

Mai stepped forward and placed a hand on his arm. "You do look somewhat pale. Have you seen Ishizu?"

"No." Raphael gently pulled the blonde's hand off his arm. "I will be fine. I just need to rest for the day. Is there any information that I need to know from the meeting?"

Mai's violet eyes darkened. "Yes, King Crawford and King Dartz will be arriving within two weeks time. We need to act as casually as possible when they arrive. No one is to mention the two incidents that have occurred…"

Raphael had stopped listening to the high mage as soon as she had mentioned that Dartz was coming. He had not received any letter from his King stating that he was making a visit. Then again, he had briefly stopped contact with the Atlantian ruler.

"-Have to meet the Seer-"

"Pardon?"

Mai sighed with annoyance. "I said that you need to introduce yourself to the Seer. The rest of the Council has already done so. You are the only one that remains."

"I will do that as soon as possible. Where has he settled in?"

"On the third floor," Mai replied. "Near the Emperor's chambers."

When Raphael eyebrow rose, Mai giggled in understanding. "I know, I was surprised as well. But I understand the location. Yuugi needs to be watched at all times."

"Indeed he does," Raphael murmured. He gave the woman standing beside him a questioning look. "'If that will be all, I would like to retire for the day."

"Yes, of course." Mai gave him an intense look before whispering, "It would be best if you did not miss anymore meetings, Raphael. All of our movements are being watched closely. Do not cast suspicion upon yourself."

Raphael gave the woman a bitter smirk. "Haven't I already, Lady Kujaku?"

Mai merely gave him a blank look before turning and leaving in the direction she'd come from.

Raphael continued to his chambers, stopping multiple times as the emotional surges continued. He quickly pulled his door open and stepped inside. He barely made it to his bed before his legs gave out.

_These surges didn't start until after I'd performed the mind synch on Noah. Could this be a side-effect? Or perhaps my punishment? _

He had been feeling a multitude of emotions; anger, fear, guilt, sadness. All of them were powerful enough to bring him to his knees. It wasn't physical pain, but mental. He knew that he couldn't go to Ishizu because the head healer would know what the problem was in an instant. She wasn't the head healer for title alone, after all.

Pushing his problem aside. Raphael concentrated on the Seer and Dartz. He would introduce himself to the Seer tomorrow, but he would refrain from any threats or assassination attempts. He would bide his time until Dartz and Pegasus had arrived and then follow their orders to the letter.

He would make no moves that would cost him his life.

* * *

><p>"I knew I should have asked for directions before I rushed off…"<p>

Jou's shoulders sagged as he stared at the stables in front of him. Seto had told him the previous night to meet him in the library the next morning. He had woken up when the sun had already been too high in the sky for his liking, and had rushed to get dressed. The blond knew that he was going to be mocked for being late by Seto, and that thought had made him sprint to the second floor to take the transportation rune to save himself some time.

Instead of going to his desired destination, he had ended up in the quiet palace gardens. He had refrained from screaming in frustration and had stepped back onto the rune to try again, but this time he had ended up in the outer guard towers.

The guards, much to his embarrassment, had almost laughed themselves silly after he'd told them what he was doing. To avoid any further humiliation, he had transported himself somewhere else, and his third destination had been the stables.

Fighting the urge to rip out his hair, he decided to take a break and look around for a minutes before trying again.

The stables were mostly made out of wood, and metal strong enough to keep the horses contained. Bundles of hay were placed here and there, and bags of horse food were stacked neatly in the corner to his left.

"Nothing really interesting here," he muttered to himself. "Those poor horses must be bored to death staying here all day." he made his way further in and stopped when the sound of loud breathing caught his attention.

"Hello?" he called out weakly. "Anyone back there?"

Not receiving a response, he cautiously stepped further into the darkened part the stable and didn't fail to notice that the breathing was getting heavier. He couldn't tell if it was his own breathing or the other person's at this point

He stopped when he bumped into something. He reached down and his hands connected with something solid.

"What in the world…?"

Jou tensed when he felt the hot air against his stomach. He slid his hands further down and released a pitiful whimper when his felt something sharp.

"Would you kindly remove your hands from my jaws?" a deep, feminine voice rumbled out. "I don't like the taste of human."

Jou would admit later that he was completely justified letting out that piercing shriek of fright while running away from whatever had been hidden in the darkness.

He didn't have a chance to advance very far as a white-scaled tail quickly wrapped around his waist and stopped him.

"No need to be frightened, child." The tail released him. "I am not here to hurt you, and remember that you are the one who disturbed my very good sleep."

Jou watched, slightly frightened, as a pair of clawed feet appeared out of the darkened part of the stable. He moved his gaze upward as a white-scaled body slowly emerged until he was looking into a pair of mesmerizing, midnight-blue eyes.

"A-a _dragon!" _

Jou felt faint as the white dragon lowered its head and stared at him with amusement.

"Yes," the dragon spoke teasingly. "A dragon. Now that we have established what species I am, would you kindly tell me why you disturbed my sleep?"

"I-I was trying to get to the library by using the transportation rune, but I ended up here instead."

"Those infernal contraptions can be tricky," the dragon stated lightly. Jou tensed when the dragon pressed its head closer to him. "You have his scent…"

"His scent?"

"Seto's," the dragon clarified. "You are his mate? It is about time that worrisome child chose someone! I always worried that he would live the rest of his life with those dusty tomes."

"No!" Jou waved his arms frantically. "I'm not his mate! I'm his student. He's teaching me about magic."

"Oh, I see. My apologies for the mix up." The dragon raised its head. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Kisara."

"Jounouchi Katsuya. How do you know, Seto?"

"That, Jounouchi, is a very long story to tell, and you do not have time for that-"

"I thought I told you to meet me in the library, not in the stables. How in Eternia did you even get here?"

Jou whirled around and saw Seto standing behind them with his arms crossed and a scowl on his lips.

"The transportation runes took him on a short journey." Kisara replied. "You did not tell me you had a student, Seto."

"He has only been my student for a short time, and I haven't had the opportunity to tell you about our current situation."

"There is no need to tell me anything, Seto," Kisara growled with displeasure. "The stable hands gossip enough. I am aware of the Seer's arrival."

"That makes things easier for me." Seto turned to Jou with a small grin. "Kisara must have given you quite the scare, Jounouchi."

Jou blushed lightly. "She did no such thing!"

"Oh really?" Seto shared an amused glance with the dragon. "Why do you look so flushed, then?"

"It is quite alright, Jounouchi." Kisara soothed. "You aren't the first person that I have frightened. I do apologize."

"It's okay." Jou looked around. "If you don't mind me asking, Kisara, don't you get lonely here? I know the horses aren't the best company."

"Not at all. Seto and I leave the palace all the time to explore ruins. He is an authority on summoning magic so we have to examine ruins left over from the War of the Ethereal."

"Before the two of you start to play 'Let's learn about Seto', need I remind you that we have magic lessons to attend to?" Seto put in smoothly.

"Don't be so pushy," Jou muttered. He turned to Kisara and smiled at the dragon. "Despite the initial heart attack fright, it was nice too meet you, Kisara."

"It was nice to meet you as well, Jounouchi." Kisara nodded her head in the direction of the transportation rune. "Seto is leaving you behind. You'd better hurry."

"Hey!" Jou ran towards the brunet councilmen. "Wait up!"

Kisara watched the blond and brunet exchange some words before stepping on to the transportation runes and disappearing in flash of blue light.

"Those two might not notice it yet, but attraction is only a step away."

* * *

><p>"I mean you no disrespect, Your Highness, but are you sure about this?" Princess Christina did not miss the hesitation in Critias' voice.<p>

"I am positive, Critias." Christina rose from her father's throne and stepped closer to the Knight-General. "My father has been acting strangely as of late. Do you not think it is suspicious that he suddenly planned a diplomatic trip to Elysian?"

"His Majesty is not a spontaneous man," Critias reluctantly admitted. "He is more…-"

"Tactical?" the younger woman finished smoothly. "Manipulative?"

"Your Highness…-" Critias halted his words when Christina raised a slender hand.

"He has been acting strangely every since he returned from visiting Leviathan." Christian lowered her hand, and stepped closer to him. "His temper changes quickly, and he barely leaves the palace grounds."

The General's lips thinned with displeasure. King Dartz was widely known for being among his people almost daily when time granted it. He did the best he could to keep Atlantis the prosperous kingdom that it was.

"What would you have me do, Your Highness?"

Christina's ruby lips pulled into a slightly bitter smile. "You may rise to your feet first, Critias."

Critias gracefully rose to his feet, his black cape covering most of his blue armor as he did so. He grasped his blade and kept his eyes dutifully lowered.

Christina placed her hand on the general's arm and gave him a stern look. "The task I am assigning to you is a dangerous one, and the people will come to look at you as a traitor if you falter in your steps. Will you still take this assignment?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

Christina removed her hand. "I need you to investigate what my father has been doing for the past two weeks."

"The past two weeks?"

"That is when my father visited, Leviathan. I need you to speak to my father's elite guard and ask them if he has been exhibiting any strange behavior."

"They will not take well to me questioning His Majesty's behavior."

"Express your concern to them about how you think His Majesty has not been feeling well as of late. Bring them to your side." Christina threw him an amused glance. "I know this will not be easy, Critias, but I know that you can do it."

"I shall do all that I can, Your Highness."

Christina gave him a satisfied smile. "Do you need assistance with this? I am sure that General Hermos would be happy to help you."

Critias frowned at the Princess. "No, Your Highness. Hermos does not need to get involved. I would prefer him to stay oblivious for now."

"You care for him."

Critias frowned at the hidden meaning in the Princess' words. "As a friend and comrade, yes."

The Princess gave him a sly smile which he didn't appreciate. "He is the youngest out of the three of you." she frowned. "Which brings me to another question. Why did father bring Timaeus to Elysian?"

"Timaeus does need practice with diplomatic matters. Soldiers need more than brawn+ especially during times of peace."

Christina turned her gaze to the window that gave her a view of the city below. "Peace is as fragile as glass, Critias. It can shatter into thousands of shards, and it can take what seems like an eternity to bring those shards together again."

"Let us pray that we will never have to experience the loss of that precious peace, Your Highness."

* * *

><p>"Um, Your Majesty?" Yuugi blushed a bright red. "I still don't feel anything."<p>

Fenrir chuckled. "I am not surprised, Young Seer, any hot-blooded man or woman would not be able to concentrate in such a handsome man's presence."

"That is enough, Fenrir." Atemu grabbed Yuugi's hands and squeezed them gently. "You must learn to relax around me, Young one. We will be spending almost every waking moment with each other."

That was definitely easier said than done. Who could honestly relax around someone as confident and commanding as the Emperor?

"I will do my best, Your-"

"Atemu."

Yuugi blinked at the name. "Pardon?"

Atemu gave him an amused smirk, and Yuugi's blush deepened. "Call me Atemu, Young One. If we are to become comfortable with each other then we need to leave titles behind."

Yuugi turned to Fenrir for help, but the wolf merely closed his eyes and buried himself further into the Emperor's bed.

Yuugi would have never though he would see the inside of the Emperor's chambers, but here he was, sitting on the comfortable floor, surrounded by small pillows.

Atemu had come to retrieve him shortly after lunch and had stated that they needed to begin his magic lessons immediately.

He had been taken back to the third floor and into the Emperor's chambers. The ruler had quickly explained that it would be best if the people of Elysian didn't know that he couldn't sense magic.

Yuugi had wanted to ask what the rush was about, but judging from how hard the ruler had been pushing him for the past hour, he knew that it would be better to save the questions for later.

"O-Okay, Atemu." he frowned at how weird the name rolled off his tongue. It would take a while for him to get used to calling the older man by his birth name.

Atemu released his hands. "Now, sensing magic is not a particularly easy talent, but it can become one with time and patience."

"When did you learn?"

"When I was seven years old. My mother taught me." Yuugi flinched at how cold and emotionless Atemu's voice had become.

Atemu sighed when he saw Yuugi flinch. "I apologize, Young One. I did not mean to direct my anger towards you. The relationship that I had with my mother wasn't one of the best, and it did not end well."

"What happened-"

"Yuugi," Fenrir warned from the bed. "We have more important things to focus on."

"No." Atemu shook his head at the wolf. "It is quite alright, Fenrir. He has to know sooner or later." Yuugi's heart twisted when Atemu gave him one of the most painful smiles he had ever seen.

"Atemu-"

"It is my fault, Young one. I am responsible for my mothers death."

* * *

><p>AN : Jou meet Kisara aka Blue Eyes White Dragon! Critias and Christian investigate Dartz movements, and we start to dive into Atemu's past! But, you're going to have to wait until the next chapter to find out.


	11. Chapter 11

Valkyria : No comments today, other than the fact that we got some really awesome reviews from the ending of Caged. We're glad that you guys enjoyed that story.

Griever : Enjoy reading.

Beta'd by : Moondalian.

Disclaimer : We claim no rights to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh

Current Song : Solitude - Folksoul Soundtrack.

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><p><em>"Memory... is the diary that we all carry about with us." - Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest. <em>

Chapter Eleven: Bonds and Memories

Yuugi's heart skipped a beat as soon as those words left the Emperor's mouth. He searched the man's face and found so many emotions flickering across it that he couldn't keep up. He turned away, looking anywhere but at the Emperor's face or eyes. What was he supposed to say? That everything would be alright? Or that it wasn't his fault?

Yuugi could say all of those things in an instant, but he very much doubted that Atemu would appreciate pity coming from someone who didn't know about the situation in the first place.

Lifting his gaze, he glanced at Fenrir, who was watching the both of them patiently. The wolf made no move to comfort Atemu and Yuugi found himself somewhat surprised at the creature's nonchalant behavior.

Fenrir turned his head and caught his gaze. When their eyes met, Yuugi understood what the wolf was trying to say.

_Atemu is a strong man. J__ust being by his side __has always been, and will always be __enough. _

"My mother, Rehema," Atemu began, drawing Yuugi's attention back to him, "came from a noble family that was widely known for producing magical prodigies. She was fortunate enough to be one of them.

"Since childhood she had been praised for her magical talent. It was because of that talent, that she was able to successfully graduate from Mage Academy when she was only fifteen years old."

"But don't most students graduate at seventeen or eighteen?" Yuugi remembered Anzu telling him that the academy did not let anyone graduate early, no matter how talented they were. Mages moving about in the world without a full understanding of their abilities were not only a danger to themselves, but to others as well.

"She was an exception," Atemu explained. "Her family pulled some strings and she was allowed to graduate with the upper-classmen." He gave Yuugi an empty grin. "It's surprising what the right connections can do for you."

_Surprising indeed. _

"My grandparents had wanted to marry her off once she'd turned eighteen, but she had caught my father's eye. Like a pair of forbidden lovers, the two of them met on and off for two years until my father asked her to marry him."

"I take it that your father's parents didn't respond to that news too well?"

"No, they did not. A young noblewoman had already been promised to my father long before my parents met each other. However, my father was deeply in love with my mother and threatened to abdicate if he wasn't allowed to marry my mother."

"Your grandparents reluctantly agreed to the marriage?" Yuugi finished. "I bet they did not want to lose their only heir and son."

"Yes," Atemu murmured. "They married a year later and my mother gave birth to me five years after that."

"You must've been adorable." Atemu simply raised an eyebrow at him, and Yuugi quickly ducked his head in embarrassment. A slight blush covered his cheeks when Fenrir released a bark of laughter from the bed.

"I have been told that." Atemu grinned at him before picking up where he had left off. "Like my mother, I was blessed with the same abilities of Darkness and Sealing. I will never forget her excitement when she discovered that I could cast magic. She pushed my regular tutors to the side and began training me herself."

"The royal family doesn't attend the mage academy?"

"They do," Atemu corrected. "But like my mother I was a special case that deserved someone's undivided attention. She followed the academy's curriculum to the letter, and we finished within a year's time."

"Your mother must have pushed you hard to get all of that completed within so little time."

"That she did, but I failed to notice that because the only thing I had on my mind was making my mother proud of me. That was something I failed to succeed at doing."

Yuugi really couldn't believe that. No one could have pushed their child so hard without being proud of them. He made no move to tell the older man this, though, because it would be better if he figured that out on his own.

"After that year, the training only became more intense. Every incantation that I cast was wrong, and every teleportation and sealing I initiated wasn't done to her satisfaction. It wasn't until my father sat in on one of our sessions that I finally figured out that she had been trying to make me just as perfect as everyone thought her to be.

"They argued in front of me for the first time and my mother didn't allow him to sit in on anymore of our lessons after that day. He tried to take some pressure off me by taking me away on diplomatic trips and seeing the outer villages, but she caught on soon enough and increased our time to almost ten hours per day.

"I soon grew to resent my mother, and even my own magic as time went on. I never cast a spell outside of the training room, and my stomach twisted into knots every time someone even mentioned the word 'magic'. That training room was like a prison, and I wanted nothing more than to use what I had learned to destroy it. But my mother would have merely had another room built so I held my head high and survived those ten hours.

"When I turned eleven, she introduced me to magical dueling, a birthday present from a teacher to her student. Our duels were intense and lasted longer than they should have, but I was happy because for the first time I was using my skills against the one who had taught me everything. It was never enough, though. The last duel we had with each other is one I will never forget."

Atemu gave him a bitter smile that made Yuugi's heart lurch. "It had been a particularly brutal match, mainly on my part, because I wanted to win –and in the end I did. Her words afterwards were what served as the trigger to it all."

"_Try harder, darling. Your wild magic timing was a little off and I could have killed you. We will increase our time together by one hour."_

"Atemu-"

"I was so upset that I still had not done it to her standards. As a result, my shadow magic grew out of control." Atemu closed his eyes and clenched his fists. "I remember everything turning black and hearing the sound of lightning before I passed out. When I woke up I was lying in my bed with my father and Fenrir hovering over me. They told me what had happened and that my mother had died from my magical outlash. The barriers that she had set up hadn't stood a chance."

"It wasn't your fault!" Yuugi blurted out. "What happened that day was an accident, Atemu. Emotions are one of the key aspects when controlling your magic, and you were only a little boy."

"Nevertheless, I should've had better control than that."

"If you don't realize that that day was an accident, the guilt will follow you to your grave. That incident is one of the reasons why I have bonded with you," Fenrir spoke up. "Despite the safety that our bond has provided you with, you have only used a fraction of your power since. That tactic will not work forever, Atemu, especially since we have visitors on the way."

"I understand that." Atemu gave the wolf an icy glare. "You needn't worry about our impending guests."

"I think I do have to worry about that," Fenrir countered smoothly. The wolf shifted his gaze onto Yuugi. "There are many things that you and Atemu must discuss, Young Seer, and our impending guests is merely one topic."

At this point, Yuugi really didn't have the energy to comprehend what those other topics could be.

* * *

><p>"So," Jou began, picking at the pages of the books that were sitting on the table, "you know a dragon?"<p>

Seto glanced over his shoulder from a large bookcase. "No, I don't know a dragon. That was a just a very realistic illusion."

Jou's left eye twitched at the sarcastic remark. It never failed to irritate him when the older councilman treated him like he was a child.

"Don't be a smartass!" the blond hissed. "I just asked a question-"

"A stupid one," Seto cut in smoothly. "You saw Kisara interact with me and you ask if I know a dragon?"

Jou pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed loudly. "Okay, let me rephrase the question. How did you meet Kisara?"

"I found her, injured in one of the caves near my parents' summer home," Seto replied, taking a seat across from him. "She never told me how she got there, but it didn't matter to me. I healed her injuries and we became the best of friends."

"There's that sarcastic tone again," Jou snapped. "Did that really happen? How could someone injure someone as big as Kisara?"

"Find a weak spot and you can injure or destroy anything. And yes, that's how I met her." Seto opened a book on ice magic and slid it across the table. "Less talking more reading."

The blond's shoulders sagged. "If I read this, will you tell me the story of how the two of you got to know each other?"

Seto gave the blond a wide smirk. "If you pop out an ice spell, then maybe I will."

Jou leaned in closer to the brunet and stared into the older man's blue eyes. "Has anyone told you that you can be a sarcastic, pompous jackass?"

To the blond's surprise, Seto let out a soft chuckle. "I'm afraid I have been called that, and it came from the Emperor's mouth."

"Then it must be true." Jou nodded his head. "The Emperor is a very wise man."

Seto scowled at the blond for the cheeky remark. "Just read the damned book."

* * *

><p>Timaeus removed his helmet and ran his bare hands through his matted down hair. He turned to the mirror and frowned at his reflection. The general had never minded his scarred left eye. He had gotten it during a training session with Critias years ago. The older man always gave him an apologetic look every time he gazed at the disfiguration.<p>

Timaeus removed his armor piece by piece until he was left standing in his undergarments. Thanks to his training, he had gained not only a good amount of muscle, but a number of scars as well.

Ignoring the mirror standing before him, Timaeus pulled on a pair of tight black trousers that accented his thighs, and slipped on a light, red tunic with gold sewn into the hem. He stood back in front the mirror and let out an amused chuckle at his own reflection.

"I've gone from one of the most respected soldiers in the Atlantian army to an ordinary man who is going to court the only Seer in existence." He reached up and tried to put his raven hair into some semblance of order.

How did His Majesty honestly expect him to successfully bring the Seer back to Atlantis? He glanced over his shoulder at the trunk full of his clothing, and a smaller trunk filled with gifts for the Seer next to it. His king had surprised him with it when they'd already been well on their way.

Courting was something he wasn't good at, but he was no innocent. Timaeus had slept with his fair share of men and women, but none of the relationships had lasted long enough to mean anything. How was he supposed to court someone he knew absolutely nothing about?

Was the Seer kind-hearted, or a mean-spirited young man? A noble, or a peasant?

The Knight-General let out a despairing groan when his head begin to spin with the endless possibilities of what the younger man could be like.

If only Hermos was not so young and naïve in matters of the world, then he would've switched places with the youngest knight. He belonged on a battlefield, not in a ballroom full of swooning women and men with superiority complexes.

Timaeus raised his eyes to the ceiling of his cabin before whispering, "May Leviathan guide me on this journey, for I believe that it will be a long and tedious one."

* * *

><p>Critias refrained from slamming the door to the Elite guard chambers. Those bumbling fools kept their mouth clamped shut tighter than his armor was. Cursing under his breath, the knight turned and began to make his way to the other chamber holding His Majesty's guards. He knew that someone would have to speak sooner or later.<p>

"Critias! Critias!"

The Knight-General turned and spotted Hermos running towards him. Critias felt a small smile pull at his lips when the younger general finally stopped beside him, face flushed and bright golden eyes glowing.

"Hermos?" He looked the younger man up and down. It was rare for him to see his friend without his crimson and violet armor.

The younger man had decided on a loose, sleeveless, forest-green and silver tunic that showed off his lightly tanned arms. His legs were covered by tan trousers with a small knife strapped to his thigh. The casual outfit was completed with a simple pair of black boots.

Hermos looked over Critias' broad shoulder, and frowned when he saw the insignia carved into the door. "What are you doing near the elite guard chambers? I know you don't like them but…"

Critias could not agree more with the younger man's statement. He had never liked how the elite guard treated the mages and regular soldiers under his command. It irked him to no end when they tossed rank around so easily.

"I need to check up on something." He looked Hermos up and down once more. "And where might you be going, dressed like that?"

Hermos grinned and Critias couldn't help but be drawn to the younger man's full lips as he did. "Well, your squadrons have the entire palace in lockdown. Since they are doing several parts of my job, I decided that I am going to explore the city today."

"You could patrol-"

"Yes," Hermos tone was of fond exasperation when he interrupted the older knight, "I will take a canal trip throughout the entire city to make up for the patrol time I'll be missing. Now, why don't you tell me the truth about why you are really visiting the elites?"

"I did speak the truth." Critias gave Hermos a level stare. "You would accuse me of lying?"

"As a matter of fact," Hermos slightly stood up on his toes to make up for the height difference, "I am accusing you of lying, General Critias."

"Just because one of your abilities is to read elements and emotions, does not mean you can snoop around anywhere you please."

"Actually," Hermos countered cheekily, "I can."

"Leave me be, you sly fox!" Critias turned on his heal and made his way down the long hallway. As he'd suspected, the sounds of Hermos' boots clicking against the floor followed him.

"You're more grumpy than usual," Hermos commented. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Critias snapped, quickening his pace only to let loose a snarl of frustration when the younger man kept up with him easily.

"Are you upset because Timaeus left for Elysian? You've always said that we need more training in diplomatic matters. I think it's fun Timaeus got to travel to another land, especially since the Seer resides there."

Critias came to a stop suddenly, causing Hermos to stumble slightly before coming to one as well.

"The Seer?"

Hermos raised an eyebrow before replying. "Yeah, the Seer. According to the rumor mill, he or she resides in Elysian." He shrugged his shoulders. "I figured that would be one of the reasons why Timaeus would want to go. I mean, let's face it, Timaeus isn't the most tactful person when it comes to holding his tongue about something."

Critias mentally slapped himself for not having seen something that Hermos had seen so easily. He would have to apologize to Princess Christina for doubting her when he gave her his report. Critias could not believe how obvious this was!

The reason why His Majesty had taken Timaeus instead of him or Hermos was obvious to him now. He was too 'stiff' -as Hermos had told him on more than one occasion- and Hermos was too damned sly and somewhat naïve. Timaeus was loyal and didn't bother to question a superior's orders, even if the situation sometime called for it. All in all, Timaeus was the perfect candidate for whatever plans His Majesty had for the Seer and Elysian.

Critias reached up and ruffled Hermos' brown hair roughly, smirking when the smaller man began to protest.

"Thank you, Hermos." He chuckled and watched the younger knight untie his long hair. "You have solved a problem for me today."

Hermos' bright, golden eyes flickered with confusion. "I have?" He pulled his hair pack into a low ponytail after repairing the damage the older man had caused to his hair. "Well, you're welcome, I guess…"

"I must report to Her Highness. Keep your guard up when you are within the city."

Hermos frowned as he watched Critias walk down the long corridor swiftly. Why did he suddenly feel like he was missing something important?

Timaeus had unexpectedly taken off to Elysian as commander of King Dartz' small squadron, and Critias was investigating something. Was he really so unreliable that Critias and Timaeus would keep him in dark?

Hermos pushed the hurt he felt from the lack of trust both older men in him away, and continued on his way out of the palace.

He would deal with this matter when anger wasn't clouding his judgment.

* * *

><p>"I apologize."<p>

"What are you apologizing for?"

"For my reaction earlier. I should have handled the situation better, especially considering my status. Do you feel anything now?"

"It's okay. I know that was a hard story to tell. And no, nothing." Yuugi ducked his head to hide his blushing face. "I'm sorry, Atemu."

"There is no need to apologize, Young One." Atemu pulled his hands away gently. "You will get it eventually. Shall we try again?"

"Okay."

Yuugi watched as tendrils of shadows curled around Atemu's arm. The shadows moved to the palm of his hand, and slowly formed into a medium-sized ball.

"Close your eyes and take a deep breath," Atemu instructed gently. "Clear you thoughts and let everything fade away."

Atemu waited for the younger man to do as he had instructed. His eyes scanned Yuugi's form to find that his shoulders were slouching slightly, and that his breathing had slowed.

"Very good," Atemu whispered, flicking his wrists and sending the ball of shadow magic around the room. "Keep your mind clear and calm."

Yuugi kept his eyes closed for what seemed like an eternity. He knew that the ball of shadow magic was moving around the room, but the problem was that he couldn't feel it.

"Relax," Atemu's soothing voice cut in. "I can tell that you are becoming irritated." He summoned the ball of magic back to his hands.

Yuugi waited another moment before opening his eyes, blinking to clear his vision. He saw Atemu holding the small ball of shadow magic.

"What's wrong with me?" Yuugi glanced down at his hands. "I've been around Anzu's magic for years." He gave the Emperor a pleading look. "I should be able to feel something, right?"

A thoughtful look flickered across Atemu's features. He let the shadow magic fade away and reached over to grab Yuugi's hands.

"I'm going to try something, Young one. Hold still." Yuugi opened his mouth to ask what the ruler was going to do, but he clamped his mouth shut when the older man started glowing red.

"_**Unlock. Unlock the secrets buried deep inside this soul." **_

Yuugi instantly felt a ticklish sensation crawl up from his arms, down to his feet. He quickly bit down on his lips to stop the laughter from bursting out.

"Young one?" Atemu asked, releasing his slender hands. "I have something to ask you."

"Yes?"

Atemu held his gaze for a few seconds before murmuring, "Do you know why you have a seal on your magical system?"

* * *

><p>AN : Why does and who put the seal on Yuugi? Stay tuned to find out!


	12. Chapter 12

Valkyria : Hello! I hope you guys are going to enjoy today's chapter. Nothing to really to say except that I hope you are enjoy your weekends and that I'm glad you're happy with the outcome with how my other story, Seduced, is going so far.

Disclaimer : I claim no rights to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh

Beta'd by : Moondalian. Thanks for putting up with the frustration that is DocX. Love you lots.

**Current Theme : Randgriz Royal Family - Valkyria Chronicles Soundtrack. **

* * *

><p><em>"The less their ability, the more their conceit." - Asher Ginsberg. <em>

**Chapter Twelve: Hidden Away**

"Seal?" Yuugi took a step back from the Emperor. "I wasn't aware that I had a seal on my magical system."

Atemu frowned at the confused reply. "You never thought that it was strange that you could not sense magic, Young One? Elysian is brimming with magical energy, and even those who can not cast it have some sensitivity to it."

"No," Yuugi replied somewhat hesitantly. "I have never thought it was strange."

Atemu looked hesitant himself before asking, "What of your parents? Do you know if they were blessed with magic?"

"Grandfather never told me they were," Yuugi swallowed thickly before pressing on. "I was only six months old when my parents passed away."

Atemu sucked in a sharp breath. "My apologies, Young One, I did not mean to-"

"No." Yuugi shook his head and gave the older man a small smile. "You did not know. They were killed by monsters on their way back from delivering potions to a village in the south."

"Crescent Village," Atemu stated solemnly, causing Yuugi to jerk in surprise. "That village is known for being close to the negative energy left over from the previous war…"

"And that negative energy creates the Twilight Plague and monsters." Yuugi finished. "I do not understand. Why don't the villagers relocate?"

A grim smile pulled at the Emperor's lips. "They are a stubborn folk and refuse to move away from the area. You are aware that the village was once a place of reprieve for soldiers?" Seeing Yuugi nod he continued. 'The people of the village still offer such a service to travellers, and those who stop by are grateful."

"So you let them remain there?"

"Not without the proper protection. A cleansing spell Seto created has been placed around the village and the surrounding area so the people can move around safely. The negative energy will always remain there, but the people will have a better chance against the plague and monsters."

Yuugi could see now why the people of Elysian praised the man in front of him so much. Instead of forcing the people to move out of the area, he had compromised with them. Not only was Atemu a kind and just ruler, but a good man as well.

"Could you remove it? The seal, I mean."

"Yes, it is no problem at all. Your hands, please?" Pale and tan hands clasped together again and Yuugi felt a sharp sensation slide up his arms and down to his toes. He squirmed when the sharp feeling increased suddenly.

Atemu tightened his grip on their clasped hands. "It is alright, Young One. Just a moment longer."

When the feeling finally subsided moments later, Yuugi couldn't help but let out a silent breath of relief.

"It's gone now?" Yuugi rubbed his arms to get rid of the lingering effects of the sharp sensation he had felt. "I don't feel any different…"

"I should hope not." Atemu chuckled heartily. He held up his hand again and called his magic forth. "Shall we try again?"

Yuugi gazed at the shadows curling around Atemu's arm, and wondered what the full extent of the man's power was. How much did the seal between him and Fenrir hold back? How good of a magic user was the Emperor of Elysian?

Holding his curiosity back, Yuugi nodded his head. "I'm ready."

The shadows curling around Atemu's arm finally formed another medium-sized ball. "Very well. Once again, close your eyes and relax."

The Emperor waited patiently as Yuugi took deep calming breaths to relax as the smaller man's eyes slid shut. Atemu flicked his wrist to send the ball of shadow magic around the room.

"Keep your mind and body relaxed." Atemu instructed gently. With another flick of his wrist, the shadow ball stopped near the closed balcony doors. It hovered silently waiting for its master's next command.

Yuugi's hands twitched as he fought to keep his mind clear. He took another deep breath and relaxed his body further. He would get this right even if it took all day.

It was then that he felt it. The feeling was faint, but he felt it all the same. Yuugi raised his hand and pointed to his left.

"Close," Atemu said quietly, pride obvious in his voice. "You're pointing near my wardrobe, but the shadow ball is near the balcony doors."

Yuugi's opened his eyes and turned to see that the shadow ball was indeed floating only inches away from where he was pointing. Yuugi turned back to the Emperor to see the man smiling.

"That's good right? It wasn't perfect but it's still good, right?" When Atemu replied that it was, Yuugi reached forward and placed his arms around the ruler's neck in a hug.

Caught by surprise by the hug, Atemu wrapped his arms around Yuugi and squeezed gently. "You did very well, Young One. I'm very proud of you."

Yuugi smiled widely at the Emperor's whispered praise. Pulling away, he stared into bright crimson eyes before asking, "Can we try again?"

"It would be my pleasure, Young One."

* * *

><p>"What are you doing here?" Ryou hissed, quickly glancing around to see if anyone was in the infirmary, before settling his gaze back to the large cat perched on the bed. "You know Lady Ishtar doesn't like you in here in that form, Bakura!"<p>

Bakura, currently in the form a large, black panther, merely flicked his tail in response to the healer mage's irritation.

"Don't give me that!" Ryou stood from his desk and made his way over to the bed. "Get up you big, lazy cat! You're going to get me into trouble."

Bakura yawned and buried his himself further into the bed that was usually provided for patients. Ryou's shoulders slumped in defeat. It was really pathetic how he tried his hardest when it came to his occupation as a healer mage, but when it came to Bakura he gave up only after two measly tries.

"I hope you brought some clothes with you." Ryou muttered, taking a seat back in the chair he'd left. "I know we're good friends and all, but the last thing I want to see is you naked."

Ryou had met Bakura a few days after he had arrived at the palace to begin his training with Ishizu. He had been on his way back to the infirmary when his fellow mages had backed him into the corner. The group had wanted to know why he, of all people, had gained an apprenticeship with one of the most prominent healers in Elysian.

He had tried to explain that he had studied just as hard as any one of them when Bakura had appeared like a knight in shining armor. The Colonel had ordered the mages and the soldiers who had gathered to get lost, and they had scattered like frightened rats.

Ryou had begun to thank his older, more rough-looking look-a-like, when Bakura had turned his fury onto him for not being able to defend himself.

Frightened, Ryou had quickly begun to explain that he did not know how to defend himself with any weapon and his abilities were that of healing and defending.

Bakura had relaxed, if only slightly, and had offered to train him in close-quarters combat and archery. He had asked Bakura why he would offer such a thing to someone he had only just met, but Bakura had merely shrugged his shoulders and stated.

"_It's not fun to be picked on for your accomplishments or what you are. Besides, I have nothing better to do in times of peace." _

Ryou's time had been split between Ishizu and Bakura, and both of them drove him into the ground with their training regimens. However, he could not say that he wasn't thankful for their teachings.

Over the course of the year, he and Bakura had become fast friends, despite the fact that their personalities and beliefs were as different as night and day. When he had learned of the older man's shape-shifting ability, he had brushed the man's attempts of no longer being friends away, and had said that nothing was going to change between them.

It was from the look in Bakura's eyes that day that Ryou knew he'd earned the Colonel's respect and trust.

He knew that something had happened to the white-haired man during his childhood that had caused him to be somewhat cautious about showing off his shape-shifting abilities, but he would have to wait patiently until Bakura came to him to find out about that story.

The sounds of bones cracking brought him back to reality. Ryou quickly turned around to patiently wait until the older man was finished reverting back to his human form and dressing into his clothing.

"Decent."

Ryou glanced over his shoulder and saw Bakura sitting on the bed with just a pair of tan trousers and a short-sleeve shirt.

"Please make sure to change those sheets." Ryou said, turning fully around in his chair. "You leave cat hair everywhere when you shift."

"Yes, mother," Bakura drawled playfully. "I assume that you've met him?"

"Yes." Ryou smiled towards the older man. "I have met Yuugi. He is a very kind person. Not at all what I figured he'd be like."

"Spoiled and arrogant?" Bakura threw a teasing grin at the healer. "I assure you, those personality traits are practically non-existent."

Ryou chuckled. "You're calling yourself a good judge of character, Bakura?"

"Of course I am." Bakura gave the healing mage a mock-hurt look. "I was right about you, wasn't I?"

"Right about me?" Ryou's tone was slightly curious and amused. "Which part of my character were you right about, Colonel Firimar?"

Ignoring the amusement in the younger man's tone, Bakura smirked. "You're trustworthy and a softy."

Ryou raised an eyebrow. "A softy? You didn't say that when I pinned you down on the floor during training."

Not much to Ryou's surprise, Bakura scowled at the reminder. "That gloating isn't particularly attractive."

Ryou chuckled and shook his head. "Why did you bring up the Seer, by the way?"

Bakura shrugged his shoulders at the question. "Just a thought. It's strange that the nobles aren't crowding the poor kid."

"His Majesty isn't showing him off like some prized possession, so it's not surprising that the nobles aren't fawning over him, Lady Wong most specifically."

"I can't wait until they do." A thoughtful expression crossed the Colonel's face. "Do you think His Majesty would let me train the kid?"

"Train him in what specifically?"

The shape-shifter crossed his arms before murmuring, "Something long distance… knives, bow and arrow, something to defend himself with easily."

"You know," Ryou teased, "you sure are taking an interest in the Seer suddenly. May I ask why?"

"You should've seen how protective the Emperor was when we came back to the palace that night. He had Seto and me escort the kid and his friend to their rooms, and place protection spells on them."

Ryou leaned forward curiously. "That's not strange-"

"The Ethereal Consciousness is active the most on the third floor," Bakura stated smoothly. "Those protection spells are almost overkill, Ryou." He gave the healer a serious glance. "You know what they say about the consciousness, don't you?"

"You can't be serious in still believing that the consciousness that resides in this palace is a piece of Ra's soul, can you?"

"What other explanation could there be?" Bakura shrugged. "The damn thing can't see threats, it can only feel them. That's why I call it a fragmented piece of Ra's soul."

Ryou rolled his eyes at the older man's theory. It wasn't the first time he had heard it from the Colonel, and he knew it wasn't going to be the last. "When is Marik coming back? He's been in Haven City for months now."

"Why, are you worried?" Ryou lips twitched at the barely hidden jealousy in the shape-shifter's voice. "Marik is the big, bad, general. He'll come back when he thinks he's needed."

"You two seem to be awfully relaxed," a stern voice called from behind. Both white-haired males turned to see Ishizu Ishtar staring at them with a frown on her lips.

"Oh!" Ryou stood from his chair and bowed. "Lady Ishtar! I-I'm sorry!"

Ishizu turned her gaze to Bakura, who was staring at her with a bored expression. The Imperial Healer scowled at the hair on the bed.

"You have been shifting again in my infirmary? I have told you countless times not to." She pointed towards the door. "Out with you now."

Bakura rose from the bed and did as the head healer had instructed. He gave Ryou a smirk on the way out.

"Good day to you, Lady Ishtar."

"A good day to you as well, Colonel Firimar."

Ishizu turned back to her apprentice with a disapproving frown. "You have completed the tasks that I set for you, Ryou?"

"Yes, Lady Ishtar."

Ishizu Ishtar was a former healer mage from the Imperial Forces stationed in Haven City. She had been transferred from there to the city of Asrai on the recommendation of the previous head healer.

"Very good." Ishizu turned and scowled at the amount of cat hair on the bed Bakura had previously been sitting on. "That man may have incredible talents, but sometimes he's nothing but a lazy cat."

Ryou quickly pinched his lips together to contain his laughter. Ishizu had never been too fond of Bakura, but she respected his rank and abilities as one of the commanders of the Imperial Forces.

If she only knew that Bakura felt the same towards her.

* * *

><p>Pegasus placed his heavy, black cloak, gloves, and hidden daggers on the small chair. He reached up and rubbed the tension out of his shoulders.<p>

Travelling always made his bones and mind ache. It would be another six days before they reached the Elysian border, and another two before they reached the capital.

"Your Majesty?" a rough voice spoke outside of the tent flap. "May I enter?"

"You may." Pegasus replied, watching the flap open and as rough-looking man stepped in.

"General Howard, what can I do for you?'

Keith Howard bowed his head. "Just a simple report, Your Majesty. Our troops have settled in for the night, and patrols around the outer rim of Spirit Forest have started." Keith's gray-blue eyes drifted towards the map that Pegasus had on a small table. "You are thinking of taking another route, Your Majesty?"

"No," Pegasus replied, walking over to the map. "I am looking for port cities within Elysian. What would be the perfect place to dock and make it to the capital within a week's time?"

A thoughtful frown pulled at the general's thin lips as he made his way over to the table. "That would be Haven City, Your Majesty. You would have to go through the Walled City of Fey to reach it if you were on foot."

"And by sea?"

Keith's gloved finger trailed along the coast of Elysian. "It depends on where you were coming from, Your Majesty."

"Atlantis."

"The ships of Atlantis are in a class of their own, Your Majesty. If they were to make the trip without any stops, they could make it to the capital in half the time it takes us. That's already includes the time they would have to spend on foot or carriage."

Pegasus turned to the blond man who was still leaning over the map. Keith Howard was one of his best men, but he was known for being hot-tempered, and for being as destructive as the element he had been blessed with.

"General Howard, you have been briefed by the Council as to why you are accompanying me, correct?"

"They have," Keith replied with a grim frown. "With all do respect, Your Majesty, I doubt that this journey to Elysian has anything to do with any kind of treaty. If I may ask, what is this really about?"

A slight bout of silence descended upon them before Pegasus spoke, his tone cautious. "I am meeting King Dartz of Atlantis. I will brief you more on the situation once we are within Elysian borders."

"Understood, Majesty. I'll take my leave of you now."

Pegasus waited until Keith's shadow had faded away before allowing his face to reveal his frustration and exhaustion.

It would be next to impossible to beat Dartz and his entourage to Elysian at the current pace they were going. In fact, even if they were to continuously travel for two days at a time, he still doubted that they would catch up.

He could not afford to be foolish when the lives of his people and his wife were on the line. Dartz could easily turn his gaze onto his land and devastate it.

Pegasus closed his eyes and clenched his fists. He was a King! A mage in his own right! It had been his ancestors who had brought his country back from the brink of poverty and extinction.

It would dishonor and disgrace his family name if it was he who was the one to bring his beloved country back to that point of despair.

* * *

><p>The designated meeting room for the Council of Val'ista was located on the third floor of the Celestial Palace. The room was sparsely decorated with a thick, round, oak table that provided twenty seats, and a single silver chandelier placed directly in the center of the ceiling to provide the room with enough light. The floor was made of white marble, shined to perfection, with small protection runes etched into it. Windows, covered by heavy curtains, lined the walls.<p>

"His training is going well?"

"As well as can be expected in the short time that we have spend together. Yuugi is a fast learner; a mage in the making even if he were to have an element. What of Jounouchi?"

Seto groaned, but Atemu noticed that there was a hint of pride in the head councilmen's eyes. "He is a good study, surprisingly. I will begin wild magic training soon. Yuugi has no element?"

Atemu's lips thinned. "No, none that I know of. I could not tell how long ago the seal had been placed upon his magical system."

Mai made a sympathetic sound in the back of her throat. "Then there is no definite time as to when his element will show itself. It could take anywhere between months to years."

Atemu was truly proud of Yuugi for his slowly progressing ability to sense magic. The two of them had practiced a number of times before Atemu had called it quits, much to the Seer's dislike.

He had told the smaller, young man that he needed to rest and that working himself to death wasn't going to help anyone.

As Fenrir had suggested before, they had discussed a number of topics after the wolf had left. These topics ranged from their childhoods to their favorite foods. Atemu had been surprised when he found out that Yuugi also had a love of games and history.

The more they'd talked, the more Atemu had found himself liking the Seer. It was far from sexual, but close enough to attraction.

Atemu had flat-out refused to discuss the topic of marriage with the Seer, even though the clock was ticking on Dartz and Pegasus' arrival, but he knew that he couldn't avoid the topic forever.

One of the things that bothered him the most was Yuugi's lack of knowledge on his grandfather and parents' magical abilities. The fact that the Seer knew absolutely nothing was not only disheartening, but suspicious as well.

"What are we going to do about King Dartz and King Crawford's arrival?" Yoshimori questioned.

"We must give them the illusion that nothing is wrong within our borders," Seto replied firmly. "The last thing we need is for them to find out that our own Emperor was close to being assassinated."

"And there's the festival," Mai chimed in. "The repairs are done and the dead have been buried, but we still have no clue as to who committed this vicious crime. It is frustrating to tell the families of the departed that we have found nothing."

"Indeed it is, but with the knowledge of the Seer running around in the city, the people have something joyful to talk about," Shada put in.

"Though they have yet to lay eyes on him." Seto gave Atemu a pointed look. "Dangerous as it may be, I think it is best if we let the people of Asrai gaze upon the Seer."

"It is Yuugi's choice whether or not he wishes to stand before the people," Atemu stated firmly. "I will not force him to do something he does not want to do."

"I mean you no disrespect, Your Majesty, but you are bending to the Seer's will." Yoshimori leaned back against his chair. "Do you remember that it is you who commands us?"

"I remember well, Yoshimori, and you best remember that you fall under the category of those I command."

Yoshimori paled. "I am merely stating that it is the people's right to give thanks to the person who saved you."

"It was not the people's right to do as they please to the Seers during the previous war, nor was it my ancestor's right to slaughter them like animals!"

"It was their duty to assist during the war, Your Majesty!" Yoshimori rose from his chair in anger. "The Seers could have greatly aided us in the war had they not decided to become neutral and hide in their tower like cowards!"

"Have you forgotten Leon von Schroeder?" Atemu rose from his chair and stared the older council member down. "Do you not remember the sacrifice that he made? If not for him, we would have most likely suffered more causalities than we did."

"We hold the Seers in high regard because we never allow ourselves to forget how we treated them," Mai cut in softly. "Leon did not have to help us, and yet, he did."

"I will not have a repeat of what happened so long ago, Yoshimori," Atemu hissed dangerously, satisfied to see the man shrinking back. "Do not question me again, are we understood?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Atemu stared at the older man for a moment longer before shifting his gaze to Seto, who was only barely keeping his anger at Yoshimori's comments contained.

"King Dartz and King Crawford will arrive in eight days time. I want to give them a warm, proper welcome, and I want them watched carefully. Do not give them any reason to think we are investigating the incident at the festival. Am I understood?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Excellent, this meeting is adjourned"

Atemu watched each of the council members trail out of the room, his mind drifting back to Yuugi, Yuugi's grandfather, and the seal that had been placed upon him. He wanted to know why Sugoroku had done everything in his power to hide Yuugi away.

Either the former council member, or Yuugi's parents had sealed away his magical system. The question was, who had done it?

_Looks like I'm making another visit to you, Sugoroku._

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><p>AN : End Chapter Twelve. Keith is Pegasus' commander. What a shocker! I know that he's more tame than usual, but that rough personality will show up soon enough. Thanks for reading.


	13. Chapter 13

Valkyria : Welcome to Chapter Thirteen of Emperor's Prophecy.

Griever : We are close to two hundred reviews, which is really awesome and it's thanks to you guys that we made it that far.

Valkyria : So, sit back and enjoy the story.

Disclaimer : We claim no rights to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh

Beta'd by : Moondalian.

**Current Song : The Other Promise by Yoko Shimomura **

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><p><em>"So ambitious men, if they find the way open for their rising, and still get forward, they are rather busy than dangerous; but if they be checked in their desires, they become secretly discontent, and look upon men and matters with an evil eye, and are best pleased, when things go backward."<em> _- Francis Bacon_

**Chapter Thirteen: Time Passes On.**

Sugoroku cursed under his breath when one of his newly created potions crashed to the ground, spilling its contents all over the floor.

"You should be more careful, Sugoroku," a deep, smooth voice stated calmly. "I know of some of the herbs that are needed to create potions, and they are not cheap, or easy to find at times."

A chuckle rumbled through the old man's throat at the voice that seemed to come from every direction. "Is there some reason why you have come to visit an old man in the middle of the night, Your Majesty?"

"Indeed there is." Atemu stepped out of the shadows, and pulled down his hood. "I have some questions that I need you to answer."

"Of course, Your Majesty." Sugoroku walked towards the staircase leading to the second floor, waving Atemu along. "How is my boy doing lately?"

"He is doing very well. He is adjusting to palace life quicker than I had anticipated."

Sugoroku lead him into the living room, turning the lights on one by one. "I assume those questions you want to ask me are about, Yuugi?"

Atemu sat in the chair near the couch. "Yes, I will get straight to the point. Why was there a seal on Yuugi's magical system?"

"Was?" Sugoroku gave the ruler an intense stare. "Meaning you removed it?"

"At his request."

"My grandson is the only remaining Seer alive in all of Eternia. I did not want to burden him further with another rare talent."

Atemu gave the elderly man a confused look. "A rare talent?"

"Time is a dangerous thing, Your Majesty." Sugoroku gave him an empty smirk. "It can pass you by in the blink of an eye or it can freeze you in the same exact spot until you're driven to the brink of insanity."

Atemu's eyes widened a fraction when Sugoroku's vague words clicked. Of all the abilities the Gods could have blessed his Young One with, it had to be the power to control time.

Time mages were only second in rarity to Seers because of the dangers that came with their powers. They were paid special attention to within the mage academy. But, all of the precautions the instructors took were sometimes for naught.

Atemu had heard many stories from Mahad of time mages losing control over their powers, and disappearing in a flash of white light. Where or _when_ they went nobody knew exactly. It was after several repeat incidents such as these that parents expecting children would pray at the Temple of Ra and desperately plead for that their children not to be cursed with the power of time.

"When did his powers show up?" Atemu forced down the tremor in his voice, but judging from the sympathetic smile Sugoroku gave him, he knew that he had not done a good job at it.

"He was only two years old when it happened. He stopped a crate full of potions from falling on top of me. He didn't know what had happened, and continued playing as if nothing was wrong. I sealed his powers after I put him to bed that very night."

Atemu pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. "Should I re-seal them?"

"No." Atemu opened his eyes and blinked at the elderly man. "Those powers may prove useful in the coming days."

"That seal has been in place for over a decade, Sugoroku. It could take months to years for those powers to activate."

"Or it could take weeks," Sugoroku countered smoothly. "Magic is a fickle thing, Your Majesty."

Atemu couldn't agree more with that statement. "Who would teach him if his powers were to show unexpectedly?"

"I will teach him all that I can, but I'm afraid that I cannot give him the proper examples that he needs."

Atemu kept his surprise hidden at finding out that the elderly man was also wielding time. "What do you mean by that?"

Sugoroku carefully rolled up his sleeves to reveal several sunset-colored runes. Atemu felt a clammy hand wrap around his heart at the sight.

"When?"

"I was gathering some rare herbs for my potions around Tenebrae Forest two years ago. I had gone in further than I usually did and was caught off guard by the large amounts of negative energy. The runes didn't show up until months later."

Sugoroku rolled his sleeves back down. "Time magic does come in handy in situations such as these."

"You should be bedridden," Atemu stated. "The color of the runes indicate that you are at the final stage. Your magic should be almost non-existent at that point."

"That's true," Sugoroku agreed without any of the malice that any self-respecting mage should have held. "But, I have managed to slow down the progress of the disease in the earlier stages."

"Does Yuugi know?"

"No, it is one of the many things I have kept from him."

"When do you plan on telling him?"

"I have no intention of telling him about this-"

"I know you love your grandson more than anything in this world," Atemu interrupted quietly, "but, do you not think he deserves to know that his only remaining relative is dying?"

"He deserves that and more," Sugoroku agreed. "But, to let him know that I am dying will only bring him despair. I only desire for my grandson to have peace before the war Leon prophesied comes to pass, and for you to have peace as well, Your Majesty. You are aware that you are a part of the prophecy as well?"

"He will be protected and loved by the Valiant Emperor, who will sacrifice soul and body to protect the Seer from all harm." Atemu recited automatically. "The previous council thought it was my father who was in the prophecy. That is why they did away with him."

"Those manipulative crows couldn't have cared less about the prophecy," Sugoroku spat. "They only cared about the throne."

The former Council of Val'ista had already been in power when his father had ascended the throne with his mother. Atemu had always felt like something had been off about the council members, but had never spoken up about the matter.

It hadn't been until he had turned thirteen years old that he had begun to notice his father's slowly declining health. One by one certain things began to catch Atemu's attention.

The magnificent robes, tailored to perfection, had started to hang loosely off his father's frame. The once strong voice had softened and turned weak as a child's.

A mage in his own right, his father had grown so weak that he could barely gather the seemingly endless amount of magic around to perform an incantation.

It had been exactly three days after his fourteenth birthday that his father had finally passed away in his sleep. Now without either ruler, and with an only barely prepared prince. Elysian and Atemu had fallen into mourning and unease.

The Council of Val'ista - without Sugoroku - had swept in and taken control of the situation. Atemu, too deep in his despair over the loss of his only remaining parent, had let the Council of Val'ista do as they pleased with the future of Elysian.

Elysian, who's borders had once open to all, had closed to traders, travelers, and wandering mages looking for a temporary home. Taxes had been raised, and the council had reaped the benefits of it.

The Council's decisions brought Elysian almost to the brink of civil war within the city. It all came to a halt when a young Seto and Mahad had discovered that it had been the council that had killed the previous Emperor off.

They had gradually poisoned the benevolent ruler until he had breathed his last breath. The healer mages had later told him that it had been an undetectable poison, and that it had been created by the lone female of the Council of Val'ista.

Being unable to fully take control of Elysian, the Council kept Atemu alive merely for the sake of using him as their puppet when the time came for him to take the throne.

Learning of this from his cousin and friend had sent Atemu into a rage. Together with Seto and Mahad, and with numerous soldiers and mages backing them, they had managed to drive the council out of the land.

With no acting council available, Atemu had been crowned at the age of sixteen years old instead of the age of twenty-one as tradition dictated, and had been deemed Elysian's youngest Emperor.

Atemu had re-opened Elysian's borders, and in time had brought the land back to its former glory. Remembering the good times with his father, Atemu had tried with all his heart to be the ruler that his father had been.

Just and kind.

"It is amazing what people won't do for power." Atemu murmured. "They kill, deceive, and rip people apart."

"Greed is a terrible thing to witness." Sugoroku gave Atemu a questioning look. "You are no longer talking about your father are you, Your Majesty?"

Atemu rose from the chair. "No, I am not. King Dartz and King Crawford are approaching our boarders as we speak. A diplomatic visit so to speak."

"You will have your hands full with King Dartz. He is not king of such a magnificent land as Atlantis for nothing. King Crawford is not to be underestimated just because his lands are not as ripe as yours and Dartz' either."

"I have met the both of them. I will not underestimate either, and it would be best for them if they would extend the same courtesy to me."

Sugoroku let out a joyous chuckle at the arrogance and pride he heard in the Emperor's voice. "I am sure that Yuugi will help you with them however he can."

"Pardon?"

"Do not take me for an old fool, Your Majesty. I know there is one other reason why you have come here."

Atemu paused before speaking again, his voice losing its previous confidence, "I need your blessing to take Yuugi's hand in marriage."

A noise of surprise erupted from Sugoroku's throat at his abrupt confession. "You do not think that you can protect Yuugi any other way?"

"No, they will find some way to take Yuugi from Elysian, and if he is my consort then they might have second thoughts about doing so."

"…You have my blessings, but do you honestly think that they will not try anyway?"

"They will still try to take Yuugi away, of that I am sure. But if the people recognize Yuugi, then Dartz and Pegasus will not leave Elysian unnoticed if they attempt to kidnap him."

"I did everything in my power to keep him away from a situation like this, but I knew that I was merely postponing the inevitable." Sugoroku shook his head. "Please, do all that you can to protect him."

"You have my word that I will do all that I can."

Sugoroku watched as the shadows swirled around the Emperor until he faded away as quietly as he had come.

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><p>"You're up earlier than usual."<p>

Marik Aegnor directed his gaze away from the letters on his desk to his assistant standing in the doorway.

"It seems that Asrai is no longer quiet." He waved his assistant in. "Orders from High Lord Kaiba; I am to return to the capital within the week."

"Colonel Firimar is no longer able to defend the city?"

"Quite the opposite," Marik tapped his fingers on the oak desk. "He defends Asrai and the Emperor with all that he has, but it seems that King Dartz and King Crawford are making their way to the capital."

"So they want you back as a display of power and intimidation?"

"It sounds so horrible when you say it with that tone, Malik."

Malik Ishtar turned away from the general. "If High Lord Kaiba has called on you, then I doubt His Majesty knows of your impending arrival."

"I'm sure High Lord Kaiba will inform him in time." Marik gracefully rose from his chair and made his way to the open windows that gave him a magnificent view of Haven City, the second largest city in Elysian.

Marik would not be ashamed to say that he had gradually fallen in love with it. Known as the center of trade between Elysian, Sylvantia, and Atlantis. Haven City was blessed with a mix of cultures from all three lands.

Sylvantia made weapons and armors that were always sought after by soldiers and mercenaries. Atlantis made boats that were owned by the best fisherman and wealthy nobles. And Elysian produced some of the best magical items, ranging from potions to cloaks.

Malik stepped closer to the desk. "When do you plan on leaving? Who is going to take your place while you are away?"

"You are coming with me for one," Marik stated firmly. "As for who will be taking my place, Captain Ishtar will do."

Malik raised a fine eyebrow. "You are leaving my brother in charge? Doesn't that show favoritism just a little bit?"

"No," Marik gave his assistant a dark smirk, which made Malik feel weary. "Showing favoritism is me taking you back to the capital because I'm attracted to you."

"The way you stare at my ass on a daily basis, I'm not surprised that you are attracted to me, sir." Malik deadpanned.

"I like it when you call me, sir." Marik purred darkly. "It's such a turn on."

Lavender eyes narrowed into an icy glare. "It will be such a turn on for me when I file for sexual harassment to the Council of Val'ista when we arrival in the capital."

That statement caused Marik to scowl at his assistant. "I see being away from Ishizu hasn't had any affect on your personality."

"I see that being away from the Emperor has caused your personality to become untamed," Malik countered. "I am positive that His Majesty would not approve of the behavior that you are displaying, General Aegnor."

"Believe it not, I am not a cold-blooded soldier twenty-four seven, Malik," Marik murmured. "You must understand that my soldiers and I are human underneath our armors." he narrowed his eyes at the smaller young man. "The Emperor trusts me inexplicably, and I do everything in my power not to lose that precious trust."

"…Is that your way of telling me that you are only teasing me?"

"Somewhat of a long-winded explanation, but, yes, it is my way of telling you that I am merely teasing you. I will take you to Asrai with me. I am sure that Lady Ishtar would be delighted to see you."

Malik gave the general a grateful smile before directing his attention to the letters on the desk. "What else did High Lord Kaiba have to say?"

"You will be surprised by the contents of these letters, but I will wait until we are well on our way before I reveal anything to you."

"Is the information so important that you cannot tell me here?"

Marik released a small flame from his hands, quickly turning the letters into ash. "Very important."

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><p>Critias located Princess Christina sitting on one of the many wooden benches in the palace garden. The sixteen-year old heir was staring into a small pond with a blank expression.<p>

He bowed down next to her and murmured, "Your Highness?"

Christina blinked rapidly and turned to him. "General Critias? What is it?"

"I have come to report my progress, Your Highness."

"Oh, yes, tell me what you have learned."

Critias lips thinned with displeasure and concern at the Princess' lack of attention. He wondered what was on the younger woman's mind.

"I regret to inform you that His Majesty's elite guards have remained tight-lipped about His Majesty's behavior as of late. However, something that General Hermos said has pointed me in the right direction."

"They know something," Christina stated firmly. "They will wag their tongues soon enough. Please, continue with your report, General."

"His Majesty's sudden departure to Elysian for diplomatic reasons is most likely a ruse to confirm or kidnap the Seer that was discovered merely days ago."

Christina anxiously picked at her silk, red and gold dress. "The Seer… is not attached to anyone, is he?"

Critias shook his head. "I would not know, Your Highness. If the Seer is attached to some of high status then King Dartz actions could lead us to war. This is all the information I could gather for now, Your Highness."

Christina took a deep, shuddering breath and rose from the bench. She quickly motioned for Critias to rise from his bowed position. "I must thank you for your hard work, General."

"Thank you, Your Highness, but I feel as if I have done nothing."

"Do not be foolish," Christina chided gently, giving the general a blinding smile. "You have done an impeccable job, Critias. You have never failed me."

"I have no intention of doing so in the near future, Your Highness."

"I know you will not. I must consult the council and Leviathan about this matter. I am sure that all of them will listen to me."

"Allow me to accompany you, Your Highness."

The Council of the Heavens was a group of seven men and women, all stemming from different backgrounds. Some of them were mages, and some were nobles whose family had enough political backing for the position.

Critias knew that the council sometimes favored Christina over Dartz, not only because they thought she was easier to manipulate, but also because she was a Sage; a mage who could perform a mix of light and dark magic. This was a talent that had not been seen since the Ethereal War.

He would not be allowed in Leviathan's Holy Chambers, but the least he could do was stop the council from trying to take away the temporary power that Christina held.

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><p>"…Atemu? Are you okay? You haven't said a word since the lesson ended."<p>

Atemu turned his gaze away from the view of the city to see Yuugi sitting on the edge of his bed, staring at him with concern in his eyes.

The Emperor had barely made it thorough the magic lesson without blurting out what he had learned from Sugoroku the previous night. Deep down, he knew that it was his own selfishness that stopped him. He didn't want to see despair in those amethyst eyes when he did confess.

What would the Seer think when he found out that Atemu had kept the truth of his grandfather's impending death away from him?

The fact that he also knew Yuugi's element only made the situation worse.

"Atemu?" Yuugi called again, rising from the bed. "Is everything-"

"Everything is fine, Young One," Atemu stared at the smaller young man for another moment before coming to a decision.

_Please, do all that you can to protect him. _

With Sugoroku words and blessing still in his mind, Atemu walked towards the Seer. Once had he reached him, he grasped the smaller, slender hands in his own.

"Yuugi, there is something very important that I must ask of you."

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><p>AN : I think we know what Atemu is going to ask, right? It's too bad that I stopped like right there *shakes head and chuckles evilly* Well! Until next time everyone!

Ending Current Video : Resident Evil 3 Nemesis Cutscenes -Yes, again-


	14. Chapter 14

Valkyria : Hello Everyone! I just wanted to thank the ones who wished me luck on the interview and getting the job. I really appreciate that. Anywho, I have nothing to really say today except enjoy the chapter and make sure you don't scare anyone with your inner-fangirls okay?

Beta'd by : Moondailian

Disclaimer : We claim no rights to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh

Current Song : Mysterious Door - Folksoul Soundtrack

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><p><em>"To have striven, to have made the effort, to have been true to certain ideals — this alone is worth the struggle." - William Osler<em>

**Chapter Fourteen: Stand Before Us.**

Yuugi searched the Emperor's face for any clue as to what the older man was going to ask, but as usual, Atemu's face gave away nothing.

When their magical lessons had ended earlier, the ruler had gone into his own little world, which had worried Yuugi because it had been so unlike the older man to do such a thing.

Usually when they finished their lessons, they would talk about anything and everything until it was either time for dinner, or Yuugi unintentionally dozed off on the older man's bed – which led to awkward situation when he woke up-

"What do you need to ask me, Atemu?"

Atemu stared directly into his eyes for a long moment before asking in a voice that was hesitant and hopeful, "Yuugi Motou, will you give me the honor of becoming my consort?"

It took a few lingering seconds for him to comprehend what Atemu had just asked him. When it finally clicked, Yuugi felt his knees grow weak.

"Y-You want me to become your _what?" _

The Seer sucked in several quick breaths and tried to calm his raging heartbeat. It wouldn't do if he passed out at the Emperor's feet.

"My consort," Atemu repeated firmly. "I want to become your husband, Yuugi."

"Why…? I-I don't understand."

"It is to protect you," Atemu confessed with a smile that was somewhere between comforting and sad. "I have told you before that there are many people who will not be happy with the arrival of a Seer after three hundred years. By marrying me, no one would dare lay a harmful finger on you."

Yuugi's lips pulled into a sad smile when the Emperor finished. "I do not want to marry you because of your obligation to protect me, Atemu."

"I am not proposing to you merely because of obligation, Yuugi. I am doing this because I want to. I stand here before you as Atemu Faenor, not as the Emperor of Elysian."

Yuugi swallowed the lump that formed in his throat at the older man's words, and tried another tactic, "What about heirs? Won't the council be upset that you are marrying a man? The Faenor line would end with you if you pursue this."

The Emperor gave the younger man a reassuring smile that reached his crimson eyes. "I plan on making Seto's future child – if he were to have one – my rightful heir. As for the council; you need not worry about them. I will not allow them to interfere in this matter."

Yuugi slowly reached forward and cupped the older man's face in his hands. "You say that you want to marry me because you want to, but I know that is not your main reason, Atemu." Yuugi bit his lip and continued in a soft whisper, "This is because of King Dartz and King Crawford, isn't it?"

Atemu placed his hands on top of Yuugi's. "Yes, one of the reasons involves them. They will not hesitate to harm you, or to take you away from me, or Elysian all together."

Yuugi valiantly ignored the harsh sting of his tears before saying in a shaky voice, "….do you feel anything for me, Atemu? Love? Attraction?"

Atemu pulled their hands off his face and pressed a small kiss to the back of Yuugi's shaking hand. "I am attracted to you, Yuugi, very much so in fact. I am not going to sit here and tell you otherwise."

Yuugi blushed at the gesture, and blinked back his tears. He tried to find every loop hole to convince Atemu not to do this, but the older man had countered every one of them successfully.

Yuugi would not deny to himself that he was not attracted to Atemu as well. He'd found himself thinking about the Emperor more often these days, and half of those thoughts were not exactly innocent.

"I feel the same way about you, Atemu, but that is not going to be enough for a marriage to work…."

"It will." Yuugi had to blink at how confident the ruler sounded. "Though we are merely attracted to each other now, I believe that with time that attraction will turn into love."

Yuugi's heartbeat sped up at the prospect of falling in love with someone like Atemu. He knew that Atemu would let the entire matter drop if he said no.

"….are you sure you want to do this, Atemu?"

"Yes." Atemu chuckled. "That is why I am proposing to you, Yuugi. So will you give us a chance?"

"… Yes, I will marry you, Atemu." Yuugi felt his heart skip a beat when Atemu's crimson eyes lit up with relief at his answer

"So, what happens now?"

"Now, Young One, we have several preparations to make."

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><p>"You know, you didn't have to come with me. You're my teacher, not my babysitter."<p>

"I am well aware of what I am to you." Seto gave the novice mage a smirk. "One of the many duties of a teacher is to take care of their student."

Jou rolled his eyes at the brunet, and continued down the slightly crowded path to his family's weapon's shop.

When Jou had told the brunet that he would be visiting his family today to check up on them, he had never expected the older man to join him on the short trip.

"No really, why did you want to come?"

Seto stared at him from the corner of his eye, and stated, "It would not be beneficial to either of us if something were to happen to you. Yuugi would be upset, and if he's upset, His Majesty will be as well."

"I can take care of myself." Jou huffed. "And Yuugi always did worry too much…."

"You should know why he worries, Jounouchi," Seto countered smoothly. "He carries a heavy burden."

"Yeah," the blond murmured. "I know,"

Jou was happy to see that the usual liveliness of the eastern sector had returned. The blond had not forgotten how quiet it had become shortly after the festival.

He picked up his pace when he spotted his family's shop just a few yards ahead. The thought of seeing his sister's smiling face brought a smile to his lips. The novice mage hoped that Shizuka was doing okay without him.

Just before approaching the door, Jou grabbed Seto's sleeve, halting the older man's advance. Letting go, he crossed his arms and gave the council member a stern glare.

"Mind doing me a favor?"

"Depends on what this favor is,"

"I know that we aren't the best of friends, but could you please be polite in front of my parents? I had a hard enough time convincing them that I was going to be fine living at the palace."

"I will be polite." Seto's lips lifted into a smirk as he pulled the door to the shop open. Keeping it open, he gave the blond a mock bow.

"After you,"

Mentally calling the brunet every name he could think of, Jou stepped into the quiet shop and looked around.

The glass, display cases usually holding daggers and short swords were mostly empty. Glancing at the right wall, the blond noticed some of the spots holding lances and single and double-edged blades, were empty as well.

"Your family does good business." Seto walked around, looking at the composite bows hung up on the left side of the wall.

"Of course we do!" Jou gave the council member a smug smirk. "It helps when your gramps was a weapons' master, and passed whatever he knew down to his kids."

"Ah! I'm sorry!" A light, feminine voice called from the back of the store. "I will be right with you!"

"No need!" Jou called out with a grin on his lips. "You don't have customers, but you do have family here to see you."

Seto watched curiously as a petite, young woman came running out from the back and into the blond's arms.

"Big brother!"

A sound of surprise erupted from Seto's throat at the younger woman's excited cry. Jounouchi? A big brother? He would have never guessed the blond had any siblings.

He watched as Jou embraced his sister tightly, running his hands through her auburn hair. Seeing the both of them interact like that reminded him of his precious moments with Mokuba.

The council member was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Jou call out his name. A small smile tugged at his lips at the curiosity that flickered across the young woman's eyes.

"Shizuka? This is Seto Kaiba, leader of the Council of Val'ista and my magic instructor. Seto, this is Shizuka, my baby sister."

Seto gave a polite nod towards Shizuka, who was staring at him in awe. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Shizuka."

"Oh…" Shizuka's cheeks turned a deep red, she quickly bowed her head. "It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Lord Kaiba."

Jou silently raised an eyebrow at the title, and Seto gave him a smug smirk as if to say, 'at least this one here has manners'.

Jou's left eye twitched in irritation. He quickly smiled when Shizuka turned back towards him with a questioning look.

"You're not giving Lord Kaiba a lot of trouble, are you, big brother?"

"Of course not, Miss Shizuka," Seto cut in smoothly. "We've had somewhat of a rocky start, but he is learning well."

The young woman gave him a relieved smile for his words, she turned back to Jou. "I have news for you, big brother."

"What is it?"

"Anzu is doing fine. She's recovered well from the spell she was struck with."

Jou's shoulders slumped with relief. "That's good. Her parents must have been going insane worrying about her."

"They were," Shizuka agreed. "She told me that they barely let her out unless it was an absolute emergency. Considering the number of days since the festival, I've only seen her about twice."

Jou winced in sympathy, but he also understood Anzu's parents' fears. To have your only daughter attacked by a rogue mage was more than unsettling.

If it had happened to Shizuka, he wouldn't have let his sister out of their home for a while either.

"You told her about where Yuugi and I are, right?"

"Yes, she said that she would try and send you two a letter soon. Is Yuugi doing okay?"

"He's doing fine." He turned to Seto, who was leaning against the wall next to the bows, watching him and his sister interact with a hint of envy in his cerulean eyes.

He wondered if the brunet had any siblings.

"Where are mom and dad?"

"They went to go get a new shipment of weapons and armor." Shizuka waved a slender arm around the store. "Our sales have picked up more so than usual."

"People are paranoid," Seto put in. "They are afraid that the rogue mage is still in the city."

"That's true, no weirdoes came in today, have they?"

"No, I did see a couple of new customers today, but no one that seemed particularly unusual."

"Alright…" Jou looked weary, and Seto didn't blame him for it. He knew all too well what it felt like to worry about a younger sibling at a time like this.

"You don't need to worry about me, big brother. If I'm ever in trouble, I know you'll come running."

Jou wrapped his arms around his sister. "Of course I will. Do you want me to stay until mom and dad get back?"

"No, that's okay. I'm sure that Lord Kaiba has a lot of important things to do. You will come to visit again soon?"

"Yeah, very soon. Tell mom and dad that I love them, okay?"

"Okay." Shizuka turned towards Seto and bowed her head again. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Lord Kaiba."

"The pleasure was all mine, Miss Shizuka."

Jou gave his sister one last hug before leaving the weapon shop with Seto trailing behind him. It wasn't until they were halfway down the dirt road that the blond turned to Seto with a grin on his lips.

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"For not being your usual cold-hearted self."

Seto's lips twitched at the insult. "You're welcome. I have a younger brother myself so I know how it feels to have someone looking up to you."

"I never thought I'd see the day that we would have something in common." Jou chuckled. "What's your little brother's name?"

"Mokuba, Mokuba Kaiba. He attends the mage academy."

Jou clicked his tongue in sympathy. "I assume that between your duties and his that you two barely get to see each other?"

"That's right."

"I'm sure he enjoys whatever time that the two of you can spare."

"I know, but sometimes those small moments aren't enough-"

"They are," Jou cut in sharply. He gave the brunet a reassuring grin. "If Mokuba is anything like Shizuka, he loves his big brother very much, and any time spent together means the world to him."

Seto stared at the blond for a few seconds before turning his head away. He didn't want Jou to see the newfound respect he had for him.

Pride wouldn't allow him to do such a thing.

* * *

><p>Keith was careful to hide his scowl from his King, who was riding on his black stallion beside him. If he would use one word to describe the man, it would be weak.<p>

Pegasus had given him his true briefing once they had cleared Spirit Forest and half of the snowy, yet barren lands that his homeland was known for.

King Crawford, the man that his father had always respected, was under King Dartz' thumb, and it made the blond sick to his stomach.

He was not hesitant in telling the ruler that his actions could lead to war with the Elysians, but what he did not say was that he had absolutely no problems with going to war with Elysian.

As a general and mage it would be the perfect chance for him to show off his powers of the earth, and his tactical prowess.

"Is there something on your mind, General Howard?"

Keith turned his head to see Pegasus staring at him with a quiet intensity that did not fail to unnerve him at times.

"It is nothing, Your Majesty," the blond lied smoothly. "Just the scattered thoughts of a soldier."

"A soldier's mind must always remain sharp, even in times of peace." Pegasus recited. "Isn't that what your father always said?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. I will keep that in mind."

"See that you do. We cannot afford to have our thoughts clouded when we are in Dartz and Emperor Faenor's company."

"You will have to excuse me when I say that I am not too fond of either Atlantis or Elysian."

"You are entitled to your opinion on such matters, General."

Keith returned his gaze back to the snow-ridden roads ahead of them. If Pegasus chose to run his kingdom into the ground because of his ailing wife, that was fine by him.

He had no problems with picking up the pieces of a destroyed kingdom and turning it into his own. The people of Sylvantia respected him because of his position, and it would be simple for him to convince them and the council to allow him to sit upon the throne.

Keith allowed a nasty smirk to lift his lips. He would be patient and silently watch as his king crashed and burned.

* * *

><p>The Holy Chambers of Leviathan were located on the deepest levels of the Azure Palace. It was one part of the palace that Christina was forbidden to go to by her father unless he escorted her there.<p>

The Princess kept her eyes firmly forward as she walked the long pathway leading to the main room. Letting the torches on the smooth stone walls guide her, Christina caught glimpses of paintings of what looked like monsters, though she knew better.

Leviathan was known as the God who blessed humans with the ability to summon the monsters that were shown on the walls.

All three Gods of Eternia blessed the people of their domain on Eternia with a specific talent. Ra gave his people the ability to glimpse into the future. Zorc blessed – or cursed – his people with the ability to alter one's mind, but that ability had stayed strictly within the royal family of Sylvantia.

Thanks to the freedom her ancestors granted the people of Atlantis. Summoning magic had eventually made its way into Elysian, causing temples dedicated to teaching the art to dot the land.

It had not been until the end of the Ethereal War that summoning magic had gradually faded away thanks to Leviathan, who did not want the ability to fall into Zorc's hand – should the dark god ever rise again.

Stopping before the grand, double doors, Christina took a deep breath and pushed the doors open.

Slipping inside, Christina took a moment to look around. She had not been inside since she had been a small child.

Stone statues of Leviathan's favorite summons were set in a wide circle. The Princess touched the one nearest to her; a winged creature with a skeleton-like body. The being was called Summoned Skull if memory served her well.

The stairs in front of her connected to a long, wide pathway that led to a stone dais that was used to communicate with Leviathan.

Staring at the dais, she wished that Critias could have accompanied her down here. If she hadn't been afraid of displeasing the God, she would have let the General come.

The meeting with the Council of the Heavens had not gone as well as she had thought it would. With Critias at her side, they had expressed their worries about her father's sudden departure.

The council, much to Christina's surprise, had told her to leave everything up to them, and that they would take care of her father.

Critias had stepped in and had accused the council harshly of being 'power hungry vultures', and had practically dragged Christina out of the room.

Once they had been were out of the council and anyone else's earshot, Critias had apologized profusely until Christina had bluntly told him to shut up. She had quickly thanked the older man and had parted ways with him to make her way to Leviathan's chambers.

Swiftly climbing down the stairs, the Princess made her down the long pathway leading to the dais. She hoped that the Leviathan would come to her.

The prayers to call the god to her realm were long and complicated, but as next in line to inherit the throne, her father had made sure she knew the prayers by heart.

Finally reaching the stone dais, Christina climbed the stairs one by one, gripping her white, silk dress in an effort to keep her hands from shaking. She didn't know what Leviathan was going to say, but he was her only hope now.

Her only hope of saving her home from the fires of a war her father was most likely going to cause.

Stopping in the middle of the dais, she lowered herself to her knees and clasped her hands together in front of her chest. Closing her blue eyes, she began to recite the prayer that she'd known since she had been a small child.

"_O great Leviathan, hear my prayers. The one who calls you is of royal blood. O great Leviathan, hear my prayers. The one who calls you is a sage of light and darkness. O great Leviathan, hear my prayers. The one who calls you- _

"_**I hear your prayers, daughter of Atlantis. Rise to your feet, child. No one of royal blood should be on their knees." **_

"What…?" The princess rose to her feet, and watched as the statues of the summons started to glow. She didn't understand what was going on.

Why had the God called to her when she had not even gotten halfway through the prayers?

Balls of light emerged from the statues and shot up towards the ceiling. The Princess watched in awe as they slowly merged together into one large, single ball of light.

Christina continued to stare, transfixed, as the head of what looked like a serpent emerged from the ball. She stumbled backwards as the rest of the body appeared. The snake curled around the dais before coming to a stop.

The Princess took a deep, shuddering breath as the large head stopped inches away from her. She flinched when the white light dissipated to reveal luminous, violet and black scales.

Christina found herself staring into bright, golden eyes. "L-Leviathan…?"

"You called, Princess of Atlantis, and I have come." Leviathan moved his head back. "I assume that this meeting is about your father?"

Christina lowered her gaze in respect. "Yes, I fear that he is trying to start a war with Elysian, Leviathan. I beg of you, please, help me-"

"I am afraid that I cannot do that, child."

"I-I do not understand…"

"It will be best if the Seer comes to Atlantis. Even my fellow god, Ra, agrees with this. Elysian cannot be trusted with something as precious as the Seer."

"I understand that Elysian has not given the Seers the utmost respect they deserve, but this can be settled without going to war! I beg of you, Leviathan-"

"Silence, child."

Christina pressed her lips together, and valiantly ignored the stinging coming from her eyes. She felt as though she were in a never-ending nightmare.

The council was power-hungry and only wanted the kingdom for themselves, and the only hope she'd had left was the very one who was behind her father's motives.

"…Is this your final word, Leviathan?" She stared the god directly in the eyes. "We have suffered war twice since you and your fellow gods blessed us with magic. Must we go through another bloodbath?"

"The war between Atlantis and Elysian three hundred years past was not our doing. We left this plane and its fate to you humans, and your ancestors were the ones who chose the path of war."

"We had no choice!"

"You had no choice?" Leviathan mocked. "Your ancestors launched the war against Elysian to save face. Do not stand here and tell me that you had no choice."

Christina flushed with shame at the truth in the god's words. Queen Helena's assassination was considered one Atlantis' most devastating tragedies, and since Sylvantia had basically had no magic or motive they had pointed to Elysian.

That choice had led to the thin ice relationship they had with Elysian today.

"What if the Seer does not wish to come to Atlantis? I am sure he or she has family, or maybe even a lover."

Leviathan's golden eyes flashed with amusement at her attempts to dissuade him. "Lovers can be found again, and the Seer has no choice. Ra will come for the Seer himself if he does not cooperate."

The young woman finally let the tears she had been holding back fall down her face. "I mean you or Ra no kind of disrespect, but your actions will rip the very foundations of Eternia apart."

Leviathan's next words caused the brunette's blood to run cold with dread.

"Then Eternia shall be reborn. It will be no trouble for us to recreate this bloodstained world."

* * *

><p>"I expected something when you called us, Your Majesty, but this is news that will put a smile on everyone's face."<p>

Yuugi blushed a bright red at Mai's words. The last few hours had been mind-spinning for the Seer. After accepting Atemu's proposal, they had taken a trip to the seamstress to take his measurements for a brand new wardrobe, as well as a winged crown similar to the one that Atemu wore.

The Emperor had ordered all of the Council to meet together so that he could tell them the news of the impending marriage.

Once the words had left the Emperor's mouth, each of the council members had had their own special reaction.

Shada had quietly congratulated them, and Yuugi had seen exasperated fondness directed at the Emperor. It had been as if the man had known that Atemu was going to pull something like this.

Raphael, who he had finally been introduced to, had only given them a smirk that the Seer really couldn't interpret.

Seto had stared at them in shock and had bluntly asked how they had gone from planning to introduce him to the people, to the two of them getting married.

Jou, who had been invited to the meeting, had loudly congratulated him, and had asked him if he was going to tell his grandfather about his engagement.

Finally, Yoshimori had been surprisingly angry at the ruler. He had loudly stated that the marriage was nothing but a ruse to keep him within their borders. As Yuugi had done before, he had also pointed out that this was going to be the end of the Faenor line.

Atemu had fought back, and had told the oldest member that he had everything under control, and if the man didn't have anything positive to say, he had best leave the room.

Yuugi had watched anxiously as Yoshimori had stormed out of the room in a fit of rage. Raphael had calmly stood from his chair and had left behind with the excuse of stopping Yoshimori from doing anything foolish.

Atemu intertwined his fingers with Yuugi's and smiled at the younger man before turning to the remaining council members.

"In two days time we shall announce our engagement to the citizens. That should be enough time to make preparations for the event."

"Of course!" Mai chirped happily. "By the time I'm finished, all of Asrai shall know of this happy news."

Yuugi's stomach twisted into knots at the woman's words, he shouldn't be nervous that he was marrying Elysian's best-liked Emperor

Right?

* * *

><p>AN : Yay! Yuugi said yes. Aren't you guys so happy? Thank you for reading and see you next time.


	15. Chapter 15

Valkyria : It's Friday once again, my wonderful readers, and what a surprise that you get not one, but two updates! It should be such a fun day for you guys. So I hope you enjoy reading this chapter and Chapter Five of Seduced.

Griever : With nothing further to say, onto the story!

Beta'd by : Moondalian. Who is awesome as always.

Current Song : Battle in Fairy Land by Kimihiro Abe -Odin Sphere Soundtrack-

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><p><em>"The mode in which the inevitable comes to pass is through effort."<em> - _Oliver Wendell Holmes_

**Chapter Fifteen: Effort**

"Try again."

Amber eyes narrowed into an exhausted glare before their owner took a deep breath and held out his hands again. Jou twitched when he felt a cold breeze brush against his outstretched hands a few moments later.

"Good," Seto praised. "Keep gathering the energy around you, and keep your mind and breathing calm."

Jou relaxed his hands slightly, and couldn't help the shiver that ran down his spine when the air grew colder around him.

"Slow down," Seto commanded, seeing the ice particles around his student grow in size too quickly for his liking. "You're gathering more energy than you know what to do with."

"Sorry," Jou hissed through clenched teeth With shaking hands he slowed the flowing energy down as the brunet had ordered.

"This next step is important." Seto stepped closer to his student, careful not to break the younger man's concentration. "On my command, I want you to direct the energy towards the barrier, understand?"

Jou nodded his head. He growled when the ice energy around him dispersed slightly. He directed an impatient look at the brunet.

"Can you-"

"Now!"

Surprised at the abrupt command, Jou spread his arms outward and clumsily directed the ice energy towards the barrier on the back wall. Letting his arms fall back to his sides, he turned to Seto who was watching him quietly.

"Well?"

Seto's lips pulled into a frown. "You did an adequate job, but you could still use a lot of work in controlling your wild magic abilities. Your concentration was also slightly off. That is something we need to continue working on."

Jou's shoulders slumped at the older man's words. He hadn't expected a pat on the back for his efforts today, but that hadn't stopped him from hoping just a little bit.

The council member had been teaching him the basics of wild magic for hours now, and despite the fact that he was ready to fall over from exhaustion, Jou was proud of his progress so far.

He'd be damned if he admitted that to the brunet though.

"Take a break," Seto ordered. "We'll start again in twenty minutes."

Relief flooded through him at the older man's words. Jou moaned as he eagerly stretched out on the floor. He reached up and wiped the sweat from his brow, and let his arm fall back to his side.

How could he have been stupid enough to think that conquering wild magic would be _easy?_ He'd stepped into this room this morning thinking that learning wild magic would be a breeze, but gods above had Seto prove him wrong.

Turning his head, he spotted Seto walking around, fixing the magical barriers that had been disrupted during their practice. He wondered how long it had taken the older man to learn all of this. Had he had a hard time with wild magic and incantations like? Or had he been some kind of prodigy?

"Is there something on my face?"

Jou blinked and flushed when he spotted Seto staring at him with a smirk on his lips. He quickly turned his gaze away.

"No, just thinking about something."

"With the way you were staring at me, I certainly hope it wasn't anything…inappropriate." Jou's eye twitched when he heard the smug tone in the older man's voice.

"Believe me," Jou drawled, "what I was thinking was far from inappropriate… I was wondering about how long it took you to learn all of this."

"It took me years to learn what I am teaching you now." Seto chuckled suddenly. "I'll admit to you that the concepts of wild magic baffled me at times."

"Really?" Jou made no attempt to keep the curiosity out of his voice. "You seem pretty good at it though."

"Practice makes perfect," the council member stated. "Wild magic is something you have to be in control of, and yet at the same time you don't have to be."

"Huh? Sorry, but that doesn't make any sense."

"I thought the same thing when my instructor told me those words, but maybe you'll come to understand quicker than I did."

"I wouldn't count on it." Jou pulled his body into a sitting position. "I mean, me understanding something quicker than you? I don't think that's possible.."

"You are my student, Katsuya Jounouchi." Seto gave the blond a wide, confident smirk. "I will make sure that you will become one of the sharpest mages that Elysian has produced this year."

* * *

><p>Bakura pulled Ryou out of the way just as a group of servant girls holding bolts of fabric rushed by. Their excited chatter making the palace louder than it usually was during daytime.<p>

"Thanks."

Bakura released the smaller man with a grin on his thin lips. "No problem. This is quite exciting, isn't it?"

"What's exciting? The fact that I almost got run over by a group of women smaller than me?"

"No, though that would have been funny. I'm talking about the Emperor's impending marriage-"

"Marriage?" Ryou squeaked, stepping away from the Colonel. "To who!"

"To Yuugi." Bakura stepped back into the healer's personal space. "The seamstress' servants have big mouths, and told anyone with open ears about seeing the Seer and His Majesty together."

"That doesn't mean anything!" Ryou hissed, looking around quickly before turning back to the shape-shifter. "His Majesty probably just wanted to get Yuugi a new wardrobe-"

"Crown included?"

"Crown….?" Ryou breathed, he shook his head and continued. "I don't understand. Why are they getting married all of a sudden?"

"Who knows?" Bakura shrugged. "Political reasons? To keep the kid safe? Whatever the reason may be, both of them are getting married."

Ryou's shoulders slumped. "Poor Yuugi. First having to come to the palace, and then having to get married to His Majesty."

"You act as if getting married to His Majesty is a bad thing."

"Oh!" Ryou blushed a bright red. "I didn't mean it that way. It's just that they didn't have any real time to get to truly know each other."

"Well," Bakura shrugged, "they have their entire lifespan - which is one-hundred and sixty years by the way - to get to know each other, so I don't really see a problem with that."

Ryou rolled his eyes at the older man's cheeky remark. "Of course you wouldn't, Bakura."

"But obviously you do. I thought that you would be happy for the kid. I mean, he's getting married to the Emperor! And gods knows how long everyone has been waiting for His Majesty to get hitched."

"I'm not saying that I'm not happy for them," Ryou rushed to explain. "It's just that I'm surprised about the news. And do you honestly expect everyone to take this quietly? Just think about what the nobles are going to say."

"To hell with them! It's none of their damn business anyway, Ryou. If they don't like it then they are more than welcome to leave."

Ryou crossed his arms over his chest and gave the Colonel a slightly confused look. "You seem to be very defensive about this, Bakura. May I ask why?"

A moment of silence passed over them before Bakura spoke. "… The kid and His Majesty deserve some happiness, you know? After all the crap they've been through."

Ryou's eyes softened at the older man's confession. Having known Bakura for the time that he had, Ryou knew that the older man didn't always open his heart to others.

"I see. Well, I'm sure that they will be happy to know that you support their decision."

"They better be."

* * *

><p>Hermos blinked hard before reaching up and pinching his cheek. Standing before him was Critias dressed in a light blue and black tunic that showed off his muscled arms, and a pair of black trousers that were tucked into a pair of boots.<p>

"Critias…?"

Critias turned from the mirror he was standing in front of to the younger man. "Yes, Hermos?"

"Are you going somewhere? It's unusual for you to be out of your armor…"

Critias smoothed out the wrinkles from his shirt before replying. "I don't know if I should take that as an insult or a compliment.. But yes, I am going somewhere. Her Highness wanted to get out of the palace walls today and go out into the city, and I volunteered to escort her."

"Oh," Hermos murmured. "How is she? She gave the healers quite a scare when she was wandering around the halls the other day."

Critias' lips thinned at the reminder. Christina had been found walking around on the first floor of the palace by a group of healers, who had been on their way out into the city. As Christina had been looking too pale for their liking, the small group of healers had quickly escorted the heir to the infirmary.

Much to their worry, Christina had been unresponsive on the way, and had remained that way even when the head healer had given her a quick examination.

Frustrated and worried about how pale and unresponsive she had been, the head healer had personally come to retrieve him to avoid alerting the council and whoever else might have been wandering the palace halls.

Distraught at what he had been told, Critias had ordered the elderly healer to let Christina rest in the infirmary until nightfall so that he could take the young heir to her chambers.

Their plan had gone smoothly, and the princess had been resting in her chambers hours after the sun had set. Not caring about how inappropriate it might have been, Critias had pulled up a chair next to Christina's bed and had watched over the younger woman until the next morning.

When he had woken up hours later, Christina had been sitting upright in her bed, watching him quietly. She had thanked him for watching over her, and had apologized for worrying him.

Critias had brushed away her gratitude and apologies, and had asked what had happened in Leviathan's chambers to cause such an extreme change in her behavior.

His heart had dropped to his stomach when the younger woman had turned pale and had quickly changed the subject, saying she wanted to go into the city for the day.

Accepting the fact that the crown princess didn't want to talk about her meeting with the god, Critias had quickly volunteered to be her escort for the day.

"… She will be fine,"

"Liar."

Critias reached up and ran a hand through his blond hair. "What do you want me to say, Hermos? That she will be alright? That Atlantis will be alright?"

"No," Critias blinked at how angry Hermos suddenly sounded, "I want you to be honest with me, Critias."

"I-"

"No," Hermos lashed out again. "You are not being honest with me, Critias. You have not been since Timaeus and His Majesty left for Elysian."

Critias stared into the younger man's bright, golden eyes before quickly lowering his gaze to the marble floor.

What was he supposed to say to the younger man? That he was more than worried about Princess Christina? That their King was most likely going to start a war with Elysian over the Seer?

As silly as it sounded, he wanted to keep Hermos away from the truth. He wanted to keep the younger man safe and sound. But he knew that he could not do such a thing, Hermos was a general, a soldier like he himself, and it would be a hit to Hermos' pride if he found out that he was being coddled like a child.

Letting a heavy sigh escape him, Critias waved his hand towards the chair that stood beside his bed. "You'd best sit down, Hermos. There is much to tell, and I fear that you'll become even more displeased once me when you've heard all of it."

* * *

><p>Atemu lovingly slipped the silver circlet over Yuugi's hair, and under his bangs. "Until your formal crown is completed, you will wear this. This will show your status to everyone residing in the palace, so make sure never to remove it outside of your room."<p>

"Okay."

Atemu watched as his future husband run his small fingers over the temporary headdress as if to see if it was actually there. Atemu knew that Yuugi was still in awe of his new status, despite his constant reassurance throughout the day.

He did not blame his Young One for his reactions; anyone would be acting the same way were they in Yuugi's shoes. But Atemu knew that with time, Yuugi would slowly but surely get used to his new life as his future consort.

Brushing those thoughts aside for now, Atemu reached forward and pulled Yuugi's smaller fingers away from the headdress.

"It's not too tight, is it?"

"Oh." Yuugi shook his head. "No, not at all…. Do I need to keep it on?"

"No," Atemu gently eased the circlet off the Seer's head and placed it on the small table that was beside them, "it is just us so there is no need for you to keep it on." Atemu reached up and removed his own golden, winged crown and placed it beside Yuugi's.

"So, tell me," Atemu grabbed the younger man's shoulders and led him to his bed, "are you ready for the parade tomorrow?"

Yuugi let out a nervous laugh. "As ready as I'll ever be." He gave Atemu a shaky smile. "The entire city, huh?"

"That's right, but you needn't worry, Yuugi. I will be right beside you the entire time."

"I-I know, and even though I haven't been showing it, I really am grateful for your words today, Atemu."

Atemu couldn't help but tug on the younger man's bangs playfully. "It makes my heart lighter to hear such words from you, Young One. For a moment there, I thought nothing I was saying was really sticking."

Yuugi let a soft chuckle escape his throat. "I'm sorry if you felt that way, Atemu. You can understand that I'm nervous about this. I mean, me becoming your consort in the near future is scary."

"Being married to me is scary?" Yuugi did not miss the amusement that was literally dripping from the older man's voice.

"You know that's not what I meant, you silly man." Yuugi deadpanned, fighting off his own smile when Atemu gave him a delightful smirk.

"Yes, I know, but I couldn't resist teasing you." Atemu's expression suddenly grew serious as he reached over and grabbed Yuugi's hand. "Everything is going to be alright, despite our visitors coming in a few days, and the entire city seeing you for the first time. I will make sure to keep the both of us grounded."

Seeing the confidence in those crimson eyes made Yuugi grip the older man's hand in return. "I know you will, Atemu. Of that I have no doubt."

* * *

><p>AN : I know this chapter is a little short. You guys know why Christina is acting the way she is from the reading the last chapter, right? And Ryou is only concerned about this whole marriage will turn out.

Next Chapter : The parade starts and Critias explains to Hermos what has been going on. I can assure that our youngest general will not be pleased, and finally Timaeus and Dartz have another "enlightening." conversation.

Ending Current : Once upon A December


	16. Chapter 16

Valkyria : Hello Everyone! Nothing really to say today, except enjoy the chapter.

Beta'd : Moondalian. Thanks~!

Disclaimer : We claim no rights to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh

Current Song : My Tales by Donna Burke ft Gab Desmond.

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><p>"Without publicity there can be no public spirit, and without public spirit every nation must decay." - Benjamin Disraeli<p>

**Chapter Sixteen: Praised.**

"What do you think it's like?"

"What what's like?"

"Elysian. I heard from Trevor that the place is bursting with magic, but you know how he is, right? Always telling one tall tale after another."

"Well, I hate to say this, and I do mean I _really_ hate to say this, but that fibber was telling the truth for once. Elysian is overflowing with magic. I know because my cousin traveled there once. The kid was so excited about what he'd seen and experienced, he even considered moving there once upon a time. Praise Leviathan that I managed to talk him out of it though."

"Hold on a second, are you talking about Vahn? Your, 'Atlantis is the superior kingdom out of all three' cousin?"

"Nah, not that jackass, he wouldn't move out of Atlantian territory even if someone offered him all of the gold in Eternia. I'm talking about Richter, my baby cousin. The one who works at the library in the business district, remember?"

"Oh, yeah, that cutie? I certainly remember him…"

"Hey! Keep your mind out of the gutter about my cousin, you pervert!"

"I can't help it! Richter is definitely a delicious-looking-"

"Keep it up and I swear I'll throw your skinny ass overboard…-"

Timaeus quietly stepped away from the gossiping guards with a grin. He was satisfied that his soldiers were curious about how Elysian worked. It would make the trip and his personal mission of bringing the Seer back much easier.

He made his way from rails where the guards were standing and made his way to the open deck where he spotted Dartz standing near the stairway leading to the cabins below.

Before he could move on to check on his other guards, Dartz spotted him, and calmly waved him over. Curious as to what his King wanted, Timaeus made his way over to the older man.

"Your Majesty," he asked, once he was within earshot, "is there something you need?"

Dartz' lips pulled into small smile. "We are approaching Elysian a little more quickly than I had anticipated, and I wanted to go over what is to be accomplished before we arrive."

Dartz turned, walked down the short stairway, and opened the door leading down to the cabins. "Come, I would prefer it if we were to talk about this in private."

Timaeus followed the older man into the dark hallway and into the first empty cabin they came upon. Allowing his king to enter first, Timaeus gently pushed the door shut and turned the lock.

He turned to see Dartz waiting near the small, but comfortable-looking bed that the room was furnished with.

"Your Majesty, you wanted to brief me on my task again?"

"Yes," Dartz replied. "Our objective is to bring the Seer back to Atlantian territory through the means of marriage. This task must be performed with the utmost delicacy, Timaeus. I will warn you now that the actions we are going to take will not be met with open arms by the Elysians."

"I do not expect them to be, Your Majesty. I believe with all of my heart and soul that the Seer will be much happier within Atlantian waters."

"It is those thoughts that will make the task I have set before you easier to accomplish. Now, we will reach Haven City when night falls, and it will take another day and a half for us to reach the capital city. Make sure that all of the guards are re-briefed and that they know the procedures for entering a foreign land. Pay extra attention to those who have never left our home waters."

"I will do so now. If my briefing is complete, Your Majesty, then I will excuse myself."

As Timaeus turned on his heel and made his way out of the small cabin, Dartz' smooth, cultured voice stopped him again.

"Oh, and Timaeus?"

"Yes, Your Majesty?"

"..Be somewhat subtle about your intentions towards the Seer, I do not want to cause any kind of _unnecessary_ trouble."

Timaeus' gray eye narrowed at that, shaking his head, he murmured. "Yes, Your Majesty."

As Timaeus made his way out of the cabin, he tried to convinced himself firmly that he had not heard his king imply that he wanted to cause trouble within Elysian.

It was unfortunate that by the time he had made it to the deck, he still hadn't managed to convince himself.

* * *

><p>Critias wasn't surprised when his face was suddenly forced to the left, courtesy of one displeased Hermos.<p>

Reaching up, he rubbed his jaw to make the soreness go away, and to make sure that it wasn't broken. He knew that a very bad bruise was going to form on his face later.

"I certainly hope that attempting to break my jaw has made you feel better, Hermos."

"It didn't," Hermos hissed softly and rubbed his red knuckles. "I ought to feed you to Angelus for hiding this from me."

Critias straightened his tunic before giving the younger man a smug smirk. "Your dragon thinks of me as one of his own, so I doubt that he would cause me harm."

"This will be an exception," Hermos huffed. He turned away from Critias, still wearing a displeased frown. "You could have told me what was happening, Critias. There was no need to coddle me like a child."

"You have to understand, Hermos," Critias soothed, "I wanted to make sure that all the evidence was there before I involved you. There was no need for the both us to run around. It would only have made us look suspicious to the council, and to His Majesty's elite guard."

"Be that as it may, Critias, you should have still told me about what you and Her Highness were doing. Three pairs of eyes are better than two."

Critias opened his mouth to counter the younger man's words when three, solid knocks echoed in the large chamber.

"Yes?" Critias called.

"General Critias, I have a progress report about His Majesty and General Timaeus' journey to Elysian. May I enter?"

"Yes."

Hermos made his way over to Critias as the guard stepped through the door. Hermos barely managed to suppress a flinch when the guard's eyes widened in surprise at the forming bruise that Critias was sporting.

"Commander, your face…"

Critias reached up and touched his face. He directed a smirk towards Hermos, who flushed and looked away. "It is nothing to warrant worry. Give me your report."

"Sir! His Majesty and General Timaeus are expected to dock at Haven City by nightfall, and they will be reaching the capital in a day and a half after."

"There weren't any problems along the way, were there?"

"No, sir. The sea journey went very smoothly."

"That is very good to hear, though I expected nothing less from Timaeus." Hermos put in. "Continue, please."

"His Majesty expressed a desire to know the welfare of Princess Christina."

Critias tensed when the words left the guard's mouth. He shared a quick glance with Hermos, and did not miss the worry flash through those golden eyes. He gave the younger general a reassuring smile before turning his attention back to the guard.

"Her Highness is doing well, and is eagerly awaiting His Majesty's return."

"I will pass that message along, sir." the guard bowed slightly. "That concludes my progress report."

"Thank you," Critias replied. "You are dismissed."

Hermos waited until the guard was out of the room before giving the older man beside him a glare. "You do know that the palace will find out about Her Highness' condition eventually?"

"There is no problem," Critias countered. "The only people that know are me, you, and the group of healers that worked on her, and they know to be discreet about what they have seen."

"Critias-"

"There. Is. No. Problem. Hermos," Critias repeated firmly. "We mustn't cause worry amongst our people right now."

"Right now?" Hermos repeated harshly. "What about the next time? And the time after that? Do you truly think that this is the time to be hiding such things from our soldiers? From our people?"

"We have little choice," Critias hissed, stepping closer to the bright-eyed man. "We have no idea what Leviathan has said to Her Highness to cause such a change in her behavior! If I can find out what happened then maybe, maybe we can begin to make our next move."

Hermos' eyes flashed in irritation. "And what, pray tell, would that next move be, Critias? From what you told me earlier, His Majesty may be well on his way to start a war with Elysian-"

"Silence! Keep your voice down!" Critias stared at the door, before turning his gaze back to the now tight-lipped general.

"We must do something," Hermos gestured to the older man's state of dress. "Try to convince Her Highness to tell you what transpired between her and Leviathan. She trusts you with her very soul."

"And I will not betray that trust," Critias countered firmly. "I will not manipulate her into telling me what we desire to know."

Hermos closed his eyes in exhaustion at the older knight's words. He had always admired how honorable Critias was - in battle and in life - but there were times that the honor Critias held so close to his heart would cloud his judgment.

Hermos looked up into guarded blue-violet eyes, and stepped forward. "If you will not convince Her Highness to confess what she spoke about, Critias, then you must do something else, or war will touch our waters."

"You think I do not know this!" Critias hissed. "I will figure out something."

"I pray that you do, Critias," Hermos murmured. "I pray that you do,"

* * *

><p>Yuugi pushed down the flicker of fright he felt when he saw the hundreds, if not thousands of people waiting at the end of the white, stone bridge for the parade to begin.<p>

He jumped and gripped the small rails of the chariot when he felt it shift under another person's weight, Yuugi glanced over his shoulder to see that it was only Atemu climbing aboard.

"I apologize for making you wait," his husband-to-be murmured. "I had a last minute check in with the soldier and mages that are accompanying us."

"I-It's okay," Yuugi removed his hands from the railing, and took a moment to stare at the older man. The Emperor had decided on a pair of simple white pants with a red sash wrapped around his trim waist. His chest was covered with a tight, sleeveless, black shirt with golden, ruby-encrusted armlets on both arms. The outfit was completed by a red cloak that was pinned together by a sliver griffin.

"Are you alright?" Atemu asked, wrapping his ringed hand around his shoulders. "You look pale."

Yuugi carefully stepped closer to the older man, and nodded his head towards the awaiting crowds. "Their excitement is overwhelming."

"It is indeed," Atemu murmured, "but can you truly blame them, Young One? It has been three hundred long years since Eternia has gazed upon a Seer. It is truly a joy and an honor for them to finally see you."

Yuugi flushed deeply at the barely-hidden reverence he heard in Atemu's voice. He stepped back and gripped the small railing of the chariot.

"We're going through the entire city?" He asked in an effort to change the subject. He wanted to give himself at least one minute of reprieve before he would be so brightly reminded of his status as a consort and Seer.

"Yes," the Emperor replied, saying nothing of the abrupt change in the conversation, "it is a straight shot from here to the city gates, and then we will circle around and come back to the palace."

Yuugi turned back to the cheering people and swallowed. "We aren't going to get mauled, are we?"

A noise of surprise and amusement erupted from Atemu's throat at his question. The older man composed himself quickly before responding.

"No, of course not, Young One. We will have a squadron of mages and soldiers accompanying us along the way. Why would you think such a thing?"

Yuugi flushed and shrugged his shoulders. "Just a thought."

Their conversation was abruptly put to an end when a man wearing a deep blue and gold-trimmed cloaked walked up to them.

"Your Majesty, all participants in the parade, including the squadrons assigned, are ready to depart."

"Very good," Atemu reached forward and grasped the reigns of the two white horses tied to the chariot. "Let us begin, shall we?"

The cloaked man beside him waved out his arm, and Yuugi's ears were assaulted by the sounds of drums and horns.

Atemu waited for the dancers and musicians to get a good start before setting the horse into a trot. Yuugi reached forward and placed his hands on the protective railing of the chariot as they slowly made their way across the bridge.

"You know," Atemu spoke up quietly when they'd finally made it to the halfway point of the bridge, "they would be delighted if they knew of our impending marriage."

Yuugi imagined they would. He could imagine the stunned faces of the citizens pause for a moment before their cheers would erupt again, even louder than before.

"How would we tell them?"

"There is a platform set up in the middle of the city where we would stop briefly and make an announcement." Atemu glanced at him from the corner of his eye. "But only if you wish to do so."

Yuugi did not fail to notice how hesitant Atemu sounded when he said those words. He knew that Atemu was bending over backwards to make him comfortable with this situation, and he had done nothing in return for the older man's efforts.

With a soft smile on his lips, Yuugi placed his hand on top of Atemu's, causing the man to turn to him curiously.

"Let's announce our impending marriage to all of the city, Atemu. It will give the people something even more joyous to talk about."

Atemu had no chance to show his surprise at his abrupt statement for they had reached the end of the bridge, and the crowds were instantly upon them. The Emperor had no choice but to pull his lips into a charming smile, and turn his attention to his subjects.

As they passed through the first throngs of people, Yuugi could not help but hear various snippets of conversation from them.

"Is that him! The Seer!"

"That's what the image looked like…."

"…I can't believe it, a Seer! A Seer after three hundred years! What a blessing!"

"I wonder if he's as powerful as Leon von Schroeder? I've heard stories that Leon could invoke his own visions!"

"No way! He can't be that powerful!"

"Why hasn't the Seer shown himself until now?"

"Why couldn't he have predicted the attack on the festival?"

"Do you think that he's a descendent of Leon von Schroeder?"

Yuugi jumped when he felt Atemu's hand intertwine with his. He looked over to see Atemu waving his hand and smiling at the cheering people.

"Yuugi! Yuugi! Over here!"

Yuugi turned at the sound of a familiar voice over the roaring crowds. A gasp escaped his lips before he could stop it.

There, pushing through the crowds was a healthy-looking Anzu dressed in a flowing, light-blue dress, with a darker blue sash wrapped around her waist.

The Seer felt relief flow through him at the sight of his childhood friend, unfrozen and safe. He raised his hand and waved happily until the brunette faded out of sight.

"We have arrived, Young One," Atemu commented softly.

Yuugi stared at the small platform before them. Much like the stage that had been used for the magical duel at the festival. It was circular with several beams of lights surrounding it.

The musicians and dancers that were ahead of them slowly moved to a stop, and made a clear path leading to the stage.

Atemu slowly stepped down from the chariot and held out his hand out to Yuugi, who reached forward and placed his hand gently into Atemu's larger, more callused one.

The Emperor firmly, but gently, guided him to the circular platform. Yuugi glanced around to see most of the dancers and musicians staring at him in awe, and much to his surprise, slight fear.

When they had reached the small stairway leading up to the platform, Atemu leaned down and whispered into his ear, "I am right here, Young One."

Before Yuugi could respond to the older man's words, Atemu took his hand and lead him up to the stage. Both men slowed to a stop when they reached the center of the stage. Yuugi tightened his grip on Atemu's hand when the older man turned them to face the people who were fortunate enough to be close.

Atemu raised his free hand and like magic, the crowd gathered around them quieted. Yuugi raised his head and concentrated on the feeling of Atemu's hand against his. He could not bring himself to stare into the eyes of the people, but the least he could do was hold his head high for Atemu's sake.

"People of Elysian, my dear subjects. I stand before you with Yuugi Motou, the benevolent Seer that you have all heard about. He is Eternia's first Seer since the departure of beloved and esteemed Leon von Schroeder.

"I expect every single one of you to treat Yuugi with the same respect that we have shown, and still show, Seer Leon today."

Atemu paused for a moment before starting again. This time, his tone was filled with a joy and pride that surprised Yuugi, and made his cheeks flush a deep red.

"I stand here before you, my dear subjects, for another reason." Atemu pulled him closer before continuing. "I am here to announce my impending marriage to Seer Yuugi Motou. Before this year is concluded, he will be crowned, and he will rule by my side!"

If Yuugi thought the crowds had been loud before, he was sorely mistaken. Cheers and words of congratulations were directed towards them.

"See?" Atemu murmured into his ear. "You had nothing to fear, Young One. The people of Elysian, our people, love you."

Yuugi stared at the cheering crowds, all of them staring at him and Atemu with a mixture of pride and joy in their eyes.

To see that, to see the people of Elysian truly be happy for him and his impending marriage to their beloved Emperor, caused a wide smile to pull at Yuugi's lips.

* * *

><p>Dartz stared at the glimmering lights of Haven City with little interest. It reminded him of how Atlantis had looked one-thousand years ago, when his ancestors had first built the island Kingdom.<p>

He would not be rude and point out the flaws the city had, especially concerning the defense. It would be easy to attack from the air with his small, yet effective dragon squadron, and also from the water because of their well-trained mages.

"Your Majesty?"

Dartz turned to spot Timaeus with his head lowered as manners dictated. "Yes_, _Timaeus?"

"What are your orders once we dock? Do you wish to rest? Or are we to begin moving to the capital?"

Dartz turned back to the approaching city. "We are going to organize our supplies for the journey to the capital, and then we shall rest for the remainder of the night. Make sure that our troops are on their best behavior for I have no doubt that someone of high military status awaits us at the docks."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Dartz returned his gaze to the approaching city, and allowed a small smile to lift his lips. He was only one step away from obtaining everything he desired.

* * *

><p>No one, not even the Emperor of Elysian himself, could stop him now.<p>

"Stop this nonsense, Richter!" Pegasus placed his bare hand on his horse's neck to stop him from trembling.

"The magic is bothering the horses, Your Majesty." Keith put in smoothly, placing his hand against his own horse, Alexander. "They are not used to the abundance of magic that Elysian has been blessed with."

"Indeed they are not," Pegasus agreed, sliding off his horse and landing on the lush, green grass. He quickly placed his hand back on Richter's neck when the horse started to tremble again.

Keith copied his movements and slid off his horse as well. "It will take another day of non-stop travel to reach the capital, Your Majesty. Shall we rest for the time being?"

"Yes, tell the troops to stop and rest for three hours. Then we shall depart again."

Keith nodded his head. "Yes, Your Majesty." The general grasped Alexander's reigns and lead the horse away.

Pegasus turned his gaze away from the general's back and to the seemingly endless fields that made up part of Elysian.

After days of travel, he and his people had finally made it to the land of prosperity and magic. It was a land that Pegasus envied, and pitied at the same time.

He envied them because of the easy lives they had lead thanks to the blessing of magic; and he pitied them because the arrival of Dartz and himself would bring the land to the brink of destruction.

But Pegasus had little choice in the matter. He would have sacrificed the world if it meant that he could find a cure for Cecelia.

It was unfortunate that it was to be Elysian that was to be laid to waste.

* * *

><p>AN : Thanks for reading.


	17. Chapter 17

Valkyria : Hey! A update! Aren't you guys happy? Nothing really much to say this time except for you all to enjoy the chapter.

Beta'd by : Moondalian.

Current Song : Appear by Kim Sum Boo - Secret Garden OST

Disclaimer : We claim no rights to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh

* * *

><p><em>"If all mankind minus one were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind." - John Stuart Mill.<em>

**Chapter Seventeen: Impending Arrivals**

"General Aegnor."

"Colonel Firimar."

Reddish-brown and lavender eyes glared for a full moment before their owners' lips cracked into wicked grins.

"I would say that it is good to see you again, my friend, but circumstances surrounding your return will not permit me to."

Marik clamped his hand on Bakura's shoulder, and squeezed. "I will not hold that against you, Bakura. Atlantis and Sylvantia's arrival weighs heavily on our minds."

Bakura scowled at the mention of both kingdoms. "Scheming rats is what they are." He moved away from Marik and made his way into the palace. "Come, Seto is waiting for you in the meeting room to give you further details."

As both commanders made their way through the slightly crowded corridors, Bakura couldn't help but smirk when he saw most soldiers drop what they were doing, and immediately salute Marik as he passed by.

No matter how many years some of the lower ranked soldiers had under their belt, the awe they felt at seeing Marik never truly disappeared.

A powerful Class S Fire Mage, Marik had been given the name of "Phoenix" by his own men. In other lands he was actually known only by that name, much to the man's amusement when he visited Sylvantia and Atlantis when the occasion called for it.

"I expected the mood to be much heavier considering our little situation," Marik murmured, smirking at a group of blushing maids as they passed by.

"The people are happy because of the appearance of the Seer - I assume you've heard already? - and His Majesty's marriage-"

"Marriage…?" The general interrupted smoothly, making a right turn and nodding his head at a group of trainees. "And why, pray tell, am I hearing about this only now?"

Bakura chuckled at the disgruntled expression that Marik was wearing. "Don't tell me that you're upset at being the last to know."

"Do I sound upset?"

"No," Bakura snorted, "but you sure as hell look it."

Not wanting to be mocked further by his second in command, Marik asked. "When did this happen?"

"It was announced publicly just yesterday, but it's old news to the council and to the Seer's close friend and confidant."

"Tell me about the Seer."

"Nice kid," Bakura replied quickly. "He's kind-hearted, looks half his age, and not a drop of magic in him."

"None at all?" Marik raised an eyebrow at that. "He must have something. Seer Leon von Schroeder was blessed with light and water."

Bakura snorted at the comparison. "The people forget that Yuugi is not Leon, nor will he ever be."

Marik stopped before the meeting chambers, and gave Bakura a smirk. "You are quick to defend this child, Bakura. What is so special about him? Other than the fact that he is a Seer."

"I am not defending him!" Bakura hissed. "It is more along the lines of sympathy. I know what it's like to be the odd man out."

A frown pulled at Marik's lips at that response. He knew of Bakura's harsh childhood at the orphanage just outside the city. The shape-shifter had been mercilessly picked on for his abilities, and it was that abuse that had led to Bakura running away from the orphanage at the ripe age of thirteen.

Bakura had been fortunate enough to have been picked up and adopted by General Rajiv, who had taught the then wild boy how to control his shape-shifting abilities. It was because of Rajiv's teaching that Bakura had become the soldier he was now; merciless and stubborn.

"Nevertheless," Marik continued, "I want to meet this Seer and see what I think of him myself."

The door to the meeting chambers creaked open, and Mai's heart-shaped face peeked through. The high mage's face lit up when she spotted Marik and Bakura.

"General Aegnor and Colonel Firimar, just the people we needed to see." Mai pulled the door open fully and stepped aside. "Please, come in."

* * *

><p>"This is a dreadful mistake."<p>

"How so? The people are overjoyed at the upcoming marriage of His Majesty and Seer Yuugi Motou."

Yoshimori turned and pinned Raphael with an icy glare that did nothing but cause amusement to run through the spy.

Spending almost every waking moment with Yoshimori had taught Raphael that the older council member was becoming less and less loyal to the Emperor as each hour ticked by.

Yoshimori most likely saw the Emperor as nothing but a fool who worshipped the ground the Seer walked on, and it amused Raphael to no end that the Emperor had failed to see that one of his personally chosen council members was becoming filled with hatred.

"The Seer has enough influence as it is! Must he take the throne as well?"

"The boy is harmless," Raphael pointed out. "He has shown no magical talent, and I find it very hard to believe that such a small thing can wield a weapon."

"The Seer has all the power he needs, Raphael." Yoshimori waved his hand towards the open window of his chambers. "He has all of Elysian on their knees, including the Emperor himself! His weapon is the very people themselves!"

"I doubt the people are that mindless," Raphael drawled. "If I may ask, Yoshimori, Why are you so upset about the Seer's marriage to the Emperor? I have listened with open ears and mind to how this entire plan is a mistake, but you have yet to give me the reason for your dislike."

Yoshimori turned his gaze back to the window with a scowl before replying. "Seers are praised because of one man; Leon von Schroeder. They say that it is he who stopped the war between Elysian and Atlantis, but I believe otherwise.

"The soldiers and mages were the ones who were out in the front lines and made the true difference; not a group of small, pathetic Seers who decided to finally be loyal to their homeland and fight."

"You think that the Seers are cowards?"

Yoshimori turned to face Raphael. "Don't you? They stayed within their Divine Order safe and sound, and watched as both magnificent lands fell to ruin."

Raphael remained quiet as Yoshimori finished. He could not decide if this man was foolish, or truly cared for his people to the point that he would do something drastic.

Deciding on the latter, Raphael asked, "What would you do if you had the opportunity to get rid of the Seer?"

Curiosity flashed through Yoshimori's aged, gray eyes. "What do you mean by that?"

"You called the Seers cowards, and you speak as if you want nothing to do with them. So, I am asking you if you'd get rid of the Seer if you had the opportunity to do so."

The old council member stared at him for a long moment before replying. "Yes, if I had the opportunity then I would banish the Seer from Elysian. We have no need for him."

"If you think that Elysian has no need for the Seer, then why not give him to Atlantis or Sylvantia?" Raphael asked smoothly.

"I am not a fool, Raphael," Yoshimori growled. "If I gave the Seer to Atlantis or Sylvantia, they would have an advantage in the so-called war that Leon prophesied."

"Those words are contradictory coming from you, Yoshimori." Raphael chuckled. "You have no love for the Seers and yet you believe in their prophecies? It has been three hundred years since Leon has been laid to rest, and we have not seen war. So what is the use in believing in the prophecy?"

Raphael watched smugly as a thoughtful look flickered across Yoshimori's features. As Yoshimori had lived in Elysian almost his entire life, Raphael was just a touch surprised that the old man was so easy to persuade.

"You do have a point," Yoshimori finally responded. "If war has not touched this land by now, I truly do not see it happening."

"Then you have no problems with handing the Seer over to Atlantis or Sylvantia?"

"None, though I am curious as to why you are so interested in my thoughts about the Seer. We have known each other for years, Raphael, and you were never the best person to share feelings and opinions with. So I ask you, why now?"

Raphael shrugged. "You could say that I am having a change of heart."

He did not know what Dartz was planning, but at least he could offer his King another inside man who was willing to share whatever ideals his King had in mind.

Raphael just wished that the rest of the council would be this easy to manipulate.

* * *

><p>Jounouchi buried his sword into the dirt ground with a content sigh. "Thanks for the spar, Mahad. I've been itching to come back here for days now."<p>

Mahad lowered his sword and valiantly tried to ignore his aching muscles. "It was no problem at all, Jounouchi."

As a favor to Seto, Mahad had taken up the task of being Jounouchi's temporary teacher until King Dartz and Crawford departed back to their kingdoms.

Wanting to get to know his temporary student better, and to clear the slightly awkward air between them; Mahad gave a little information about himself such as that he was from the Walled City of Fey, a city slightly smaller than Asrai, and that he was an wind and light mage working as an instructor at the Mage Academy for the last three years.

It was much to his relief that Jou had opened up to him after he had revealed all of this, and confessed to him that he had a love for the sword. This confession had lead to a trip to the training rooms.

As soon as they arrived, Jounouchi had immediately asked if he knew how to wield a sword, to which Mahad had responded that he did seeing that his one of his duties at the Mage Academy was to teach students going into the Imperial Forces the basics of the sword. It was after he had confirmed it that the blond had asked for a simple spar.

That simple spar had lead to a full-blown match that had drawn a small crowd.

At the end of the match, Mahad was proudly saying that he was not ashamed that he had lost to Jounouchi. He had never seen someone as young as the novice mage wield a sword so well, and it impressed him.

"You know," Mahad began casually, setting his sword next to the bench both men were occupying. "You would make an excellent spell sword. Have you considered becoming one?"

"Spell sword?" Jounouchi blinked curiously. "What's that?"

Mahad grinned and picked up his sword. "Spell swords are mages who channel their element into whatever weapon they favor," Mahad placed his hand against the blade and forced out a small bit of light magic. "It gives soldiers a bit of an edge in battle when they are fighting against mages. Your sword skills are very impressive, Jounouchi. I think that this particular skill would be perfect for you."

Jou tapped the blade curiously, his eyes alight with interest. "Doesn't this take perfect control to learn? I'm still learning wild magic."

"Wild magic is one of the key aspects that spell swords have to learn," Mahad explained. "So it will be no problem for us to add this to the agenda as well. Are you interested in perusing this?"

Jou pulled his own sword out of the ground and stared at it. How hard could this be to learn? He already knew how to handle a sword better than most soldiers he saw in the palace, and he was getting better with magic with each passing day.

"Sure, what's another challenge to me?"

Mahad grinned at the confidence he heard in his temporary student's voice. With his and Seto's teachings combined, Jou was going to become one of the best spell swords in all of Elysian.

"Question?" Jounouchi asked.

"Yes?"

"How long are those creeps going to be here?"

"Creeps…?"

"You know," Jou grinned at him, "King Dartz and King Crawford! Do you have any idea how long they're going to be here and keep my teacher away?"

"I estimate that both of them will be here for at least two weeks at the minimum. What's wrong with me being your teacher, though? We have barely begun and you already want Seto back."

Much to Mahad's amusement, Jou frantically waved his hands in apology. He couldn't help but laugh when he saw how red the blond had become.

"It's quite alright, Jounouchi. I understand where you are coming from. You are used to Seto and I understand that it has nothing to do with me as a person or as a teacher."

Jou's shoulders slumped in relief. "Good!" He nudged Mahad on the shoulder. "We may know only a little bit about each other, but I'm glad that Seto picked such a nice person to be my teacher."

Mahad did not tell the novice mage that Seto had specifically chosen him not only as a favour, but because that the head council member could not trust just anyone with the blond's training and safety.

He had been surprised when he saw how protective Seto was of the novice mage, he had only seen that type of behavior when the brunet was speaking of His Majesty and Mokuba.

If it was anyone else then he would think that Seto was so protective because the blond was his responsibility, but he knew better. Seto didn't act like this unless he cared for the person or at least starting to.

Mahad glanced at Jounouchi at the corner of his eye to see the blond studying his sword with an intensity that only an expert would display.

_I wonder what Seto finds so interesting about you...? _

* * *

><p>"The daily life of an Emperor and his consort is filled with paperwork, meetings, the occasional diplomatic trip to the city-states that are on the edges of our land, and we mustn't forget the balls that we have to host occasionally."<p>

Atemu watched fondly as Yuugi's nose scrunched up as he named all of his usual duties off. He leaned down and caressed the younger man's cheek.

"Do not frown, Young One. It is not as bad as it sounds."

Yuugi raised his arm and poked his fiancé in the arm. "Then why do you sound so forced? You have been ruling Elysian since you were sixteen years old and you still don't enjoy some of the things you have to do, right?"

Yuugi laughed lightly when Atemu playfully scowled at him for his words. Ever since the conclusion of the parade, Yuugi had found himself wanting to be in Atemu's company more and more, and he was elated that the other man felt the same way.

The affection Atemu had displayed after the announcement still caused his heart beat to race. With the crowds celebrating their Emperor's marriage, Atemu had leaned down and kissed the corner of his mouth, and had whispered a thank you before pulling away.

Yuugi would never forget how his face had turned so deep a red that one of the mages had asked if he was running a fever.

"No, I still do not enjoy some of the duties that I have to do," Atemu responded with small smile. "But I feel that it won't be as tedious now that I have someone to share them with."

Yuugi gave the Emperor a cheeky grin before replying. "How do you know that I won't skip out and just leave you to do them by yourself?"

Atemu's full lips pulled into a wicked smirk that made Yuugi weary and excited at the same time. "Because I know that my sweet and beautiful little one would never abandon me to the woes that are meetings, paperwork, and sometimes boring diplomatic trips."

Yuugi flushed and looked away. "You're horrible."

Atemu threw his head back and released a bark of laughter that echoed throughout the ballroom they were sitting in.

Mai had planned a ball to welcome Dartz and Pegasus, and Atemu had been given the task of giving Yuugi a few speed lessons on enough dances to last them for the duration of the night.

"And you're wonderful," Atemu countered smoothly. He paused for a moment before saying quietly. "Are you ready, Young One?"

The flirtatious, playful air that had surrounded them previously disappeared when Atemu asked that question, and Yuugi found himself nodding his head.

"Yes, Atemu, I'm ready."

He and Atemu planned on greeting both King Dartz and King Crawford together when they arrived tomorrow. It made Yuugi's heart race just thinking about it, but as long as he had Atemu by his side, he would have nothing to worry about.

He would show them that he wasn't afraid of them or whatever plan they had in the works.

* * *

><p>AN : I'm ashamed to say that I got this hours ago and I'm just now posting it. Sorry about that everyone. I had to find a new charger to my laptop, but no worries! I got a brand new one and no twisting and turning just to get the stupid thing working!

Next Chapter : Dartz and Pegasus arrive! and our dear generals Keith and Marik don't get along to well.


	18. Chapter 18

Valkyria : Nothing really to say, except for to enjoy the chapter and make sure to thank my beta for getting this out super fast!

Griever : Bow before her greatness!

Disclaimer : We claim no rights to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh!

Beta'd by : Moondalian.

Current Song : Star of Bethlehem

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><p><em>"Our life is full of discord; but by forbearance and virtue this same discord can be turned to harmony." - James Ellis <em>

**Chapter Eighteen: Trinity Monarchs**

The breath in Yuugi's body escaped him all at once when King Dartz and King Crawford bowed their heads in his direction when Atemu introduced him as his consort and the rumored Seer.

When he'd first laid eyes on the visiting sovereigns, Yuugi had not felt the confidence that he'd wanted to feel. Instead he had felt a sense of dread and wariness creep into his chest. It was somewhat frightening that the two men standing in front of him hid their intentions behind their charm, intelligence and grace.

"Your Majesties," Yuugi rushed forward before stopping himself inches away from both Kings. "Please, do not bow, I am nothing special."

"Do not sell yourself short, Seer Yuugi." Pegasus rose and graced him with a blinding smile. "You are a descendant of Leon von Schroeder's legacy. You deserve all the praise that we can give."

"I agree with King Crawford's words." Dartz put in, boldly reaching forward and grasping Yuugi's hands in his own. "Even more so, in fact, since it was my ancestor's actions that served as the trigger for the slaughter of the Seers."

Yuugi gently pulled his hands away from the Atlantian King's grasp. "The war between Elysian and Atlantis is in the past now. Let us move on to a brighter future in which all of our lands can prosper without the shadow of war."

"That is why we are here, Seer Yuugi; to re-establish ties that were lost with that dreadful war." Dartz waved his hand towards a scarred man donning green armor. "Ah! My manners seem to have left me for the moment. Allow me to introduce you to General Timaeus, second commander to the Atlantian forces."

Peeking over Dartz' arm, Yuugi suddenly found himself pinned under Timaeus' intense, gray eye, he couldn't suppress the shiver that ran down his spine when that eye seared him from the tips of his hair to his feet.

Their staring contest was broken when Timaeus lowered his head and murmured, "It is an honor, Seer Yuugi."

The Seer swallowed heavily before replying, "It is a pleasure to meet you, General Timaeus."

"And allow me to introduce, General Keith Howard, leader of Sylvantia's forces." Pegasus put in, waving silent blond man forward.

Keith gave him grin before bowing his head. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Seer Yuugi."

Yuugi frowned at the mockery in the General's voice, and judging from the frown Pegasus was also sporting, the King didn't fail to miss it either.

Dredging up a tight smile, Yuugi replied. "It is nice too meet you as well, General Howard. I do hope you will enjoy your stay in Elysian."

Before Keith could open his mouth, Pegasus cut in smoothly while sending a icy glare towards the General. "Thank you, Seer Yuugi, I am sure that we will have an excellent time here."

"Come," Atemu spoke up, breaking the light tension that descended upon them, The Emperor beckoned forth a handful of servants that were waiting on the stairs leading to the palace. "Let us get all of you settled in. You must be exhausted from the journey."

Atemu waited patiently until Dartz and Pegasus, along with their entourages, disappeared into the palace. Then he turned to Yuugi with a grin.

"Well done, Young One." The Emperor leaned down and pressed a kiss against his cheek. "You have done me proud on this day."

"Thank you." Yuugi frowned and directed his gaze at the open doors where Dartz and Pegasus had just gone through. "What do we do now?"

"Nothing," Atemu replied. "All of the pieces are in place. Now we just have to see which one of us makes the first move."

"… That's not very comforting to hear, Atemu," Yuugi murmured. He jumped when he felt his fiancé's larger hands ruffle his hair.

"I fear that from this moment on, we will hear a lot of things that are not comforting, Young One. Come, let us go inside and attend to our guests."

* * *

><p>"Well?"<p>

Critias' lips thinned at the expectation he heard in Hermos' voice, before he shook his head. "Nothing, nothing at all."

The Knight-General wasn't surprised when Hermos let out several curses under his breath before sitting himself down in the chair his office provided.

The outing that Princess Christina had wanted hadn't gone as Critias had planned. Throughout the entire trip the princess had been lost deep in her thoughts as she took in the sights and the people with an intensity that he had never seen before. It was if she was…

Looking at the city for the very last time.

When Critias had discovered this, he had immediately snapped the Princess out of her thoughts and had kept it that way for the remainder of the trip.

Hermos would probably faint from shock when he discovered he had spoken for almost two hours straight.

"She is the temporary ruler of Atlantis, Critias," Hermos spoke up quietly, breaking him out of his thoughts. "She must snap out of this soon, or the council will start to take notice."

"I will talk to her again. Have we received word on King Dartz and Timaeus?"

Hermos looked displeased with the answer he'd received, but replied nonetheless, "The last report we received was of His Majesty and Timaeus departing from Haven City, but there is no doubt that they will have reached the capital by now. It will only be a matter of time before he contacts us again…."

"Asking for Her Highness," Critias finished. "I believe we have some time before King Dartz contacts us again, and hopefully Her Highness will have snapped out of her shock by then."

"And if she hasn't?" Hermos questioned, rising from his seat. He strolled over and clamped his gloved hand on Critias' shoulder. "What then?"

"We will tell him that she is fine," Critias replied as if it was obvious. "There is something I must ask of you, Hermos."

"What would that be?"

Critias turned and stared the younger man directly in the eyes. "I need you to start training regiments for the soldiers and mages under your command, as well as mine."

"What? Why?"

Critias gave the younger man a grin that failed to reach his eyes. "It is merely a precaution, my friend. I just do not want to be caught blindsided."

"You mean you do not want to be further blindsided by King Dartz' actions," Hermos corrected gently. "He is a manipulative man, Critias. Not even his own daughter knows what he is planning."

"And it is that fact that worries me a great deal, how frightening must it be for her to not know her own father's motives? How do you think Her Highness must feel, knowing that the very man who raised her to be the young woman that she is today, is most likely going to start a war with his own greedy actions."

"There is still time, Critias," Hermos soothed. "We cannot give up hope just yet."

"Hope?" Critias snorted bitterly. "What hope do you have when the only other person who is on our side has temporarily lost touch with reality?"

"It is up to you to bring Her Highness back, Critias." Hermos grabbed both of the taller man's shoulders, and gave them a light shake. "Now is not the time to be gentle with her, do you understand?"

"I understand." Critias removed the younger man's hands from his shoulders. "There was no need to shake me like a rag doll."

Hermos grinned sheepishly. "I had to snap you out of it. You were getting all hopeless on me."

"Can you truly blame me? Our situation does not look the best right now."

"That's because you are relying on Her Highness too much, Critias. You and I are soldiers. We must handle this situation by ourselves. I will begin the training regiments immediately, while you, my friend, will handle Her Highness, alright?"

Despite the situation they were in, Critias couldn't help but let his lips stretch into a smirk at how commanding the younger man sounded.

"Very well, General Hermos. I will get right on it."

Hermos' golden eyes narrowed at the teasing undertone that the older man's voice held. "Now's not the time to be teasing, Critias."

"Of course not."

* * *

><p>"No one will hear us here?"<p>

"No, Your Majesty. The palace gardens have remained unused since the Empress' passing."

"I see." Dartz sat down on the stone, cushioned bench. "Come sit beside me, Raphael. You must keep up your role as councilmen after all."

Once Raphael was seated, Dartz continued, "Tell me, how are things here?"

"The Emperor and the Council are under a lot of stress, Your Majesty," Raphael began. "They are still investigating the attack on the festival, and who kidnapped Noah."

"I trust that you have taken care of Noah?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." Raphael lowered his head in the older man's direction. "I performed a clean mind synch, and the Emperor decided to place the child into a crystal sleep for now."

Dartz' lips pulled into a dark smirk. "A fitting fate for such a failure. I take it that they did not have the time to gather the necessary mages to wake the boy up?"

"No, it would take time for them to gather Sealing Mages, and for them perform the ritual."

Dartz nodded in satisfaction before turning his head and studying the man next to him. "And what of the investigation of the attack on the festival?"

"There are no leads for them to follow, Your Majesty, Grerimo left his trail in the residential sector on the West side, and I have no doubt that the investigation will come to a permanent halt."

"Indeed it shall, Raphael. Grerimo will be dealt with when I return to Atlantis. Valon's death was excessive and unnecessary."

"With all due respect, Your Majesty, I wish you would let me take care of the old man."

"You have your duties here, Raphael," Dartz chided, though there was a hint of a smile on his lips. "Now, tell me what you know about the Seer."

"Yuugi Motou lived with his grandfather before coming to the palace. The child has no magical abilities of his, own nor has he had any kind of weapon training."

"Harmless, but well protected," Dartz summarized quickly. "Since he is the Emperor's consort, I doubt the boy has left Faenor's side."

"Unfortunately, he hasn't," Raphael muttered. "I haven't had the opportunity-"

"Nor shall you need it." Dartz cut in sharply, knowing where the spy's thoughts were headed. "I want the Seer alive."

"Your Majesty?"

"I have plans for the Seer of Elysian, Raphael. He is more useful to me alive than he is dead."

Raphael resisted the urge to ask what plans his King had for Yuugi, knowing that it wasn't really his business.

"Is there anything that you wish me to do to help in this task, Your Majesty?"

"No, I have someone taking care of that. I think it would be best if you kept an eye on General Howard and King Crawford."

"You think that they would betray you?"

"If they are pushed enough, then yes they would betray me." Dartz replied darkly. "The moment they do, you are to cut them down. I will not have such a weak-minded King ruin my plans."

"Yes, Your Majesty. If that is what you desire, it shall be done."

* * *

><p>Pegasus forced the helpless feeling that was rising in his chest down as his eyes scanned the small progress report about his wife's health.<p>

Worse.

Cecelia's health had considerably worsened since his departure, and the doctors had told him that she could barely move, or respond to even the most simple of questions.

Setting the report down, Pegasus leaned forward in the chair and placed his face in his gloved hands. He wanted nothing more than to pack up and return to Sylvantia so that he could be by her side, but he had to be here.

And serve Dartz' whims.

Pegasus took a deep, shuddering breath when anger assaulted him at the thought of the Atlantian King. He knew that Dartz was keeping him at bay to make sure that he kept up his end of the deal.

The man was the very definition of dishonorable.

There was the option of telling Emperor Faenor everything. He could tell him that Dartz was the one behind the assassination attempt and the attack on the festival he himself had only just learned of, but if he confessed everything to Emperor Faenor he ran the risk of earning Dartz' wrath.

Something, in the long run, he couldn't afford to do.

The Sylvantian jumped in his seat when three, solid knocks echoed throughout the office he had temporarily been granted.

"Enter," he called out quickly.

The door creaked open, and a servant girl wearing a simple, white and black dress stepped in. She bowed her head in greeting.

"Your Majesty, I have a message from Emperor Faenor."

"What is it?"

"There is a ball that is to be held tonight in your and King Dartz' honor, and His Majesty would be honored if you were to attend."

Pegasus forced down a sigh at the thought of seeing the Emperor as well as Dartz. He wanted absolutely nothing to do with either of them, but if the Emperor had gone through the trouble of throwing a ball, then who was he to be rude and not attend?

"That sounds lovely," Pegasus spoke with a tight smile. "Please inform Emperor Faenor that I would be honored to attend the ball."

The servant bowed her head. "Yes, Your Majesty. I shall inform him of your answer. Have a good day."

Pegasus waited until the door clicked shut before his fake smile faded, and a troubling frown replaced it.

This night wasn't going to be pleasant at all.

* * *

><p><em>The Divine Order was on the edge of town, but unfortunately, it was surrounded by guards that the Emperor placed around it. It was by some miracle that I managed to sneak in when the new guard shift started. The Divine Order was just as I remembered <em>_to be when I first visited it; tranquil and full of magic. I checked the entire first floor, only to find that the rooms had been emptied out, and I had a gut wrenching feeling that most of them were not unoccupied by choice. _

_Moving on, I checked the second floor onl__y to find it empty as well. The only places that remained were the library and meditation rooms. It was at this point that I started to get worried. The Divine Order, a place the Seers called their sanctuary, was now nothing more than a tower filled with lingering traces of life. _

_My hope started to __falter as I reached the third floor and found nothing either. If this place was empty, then why were there so many guards outside? _

_I soon __found my answer when someone let out a questioning cough from behind me. I turned and saw an old man standing behind me with an expectant look in his eye. _

"_It is rude to sneak around in someone's home, boy," He said._

_I stared at the old man before it clicked in my mind. The man who stood before me was none other than Amadeus. _

_The leader of all Seers. _

"I remember this part."

Yuugi yelped and jumped at the voice in his ear. He quickly grabbed the journal before it fell off the bed. Placing it safely on the covers, Yuugi turned to see Atemu giving him an apologetic smile, though Yuugi didn't fail to see the amusement lingering in the man's scarlet eyes.

"So, this is where you have been." Atemu adjusted himself on the bed before continuing, "I was worried when you had suddenly disappeared to."

"You were so busy with the council." Yuugi closed the journal. "I didn't want to disturb you."

"Nonsense," Atemu chided gently. "You are my consort, and the future co-ruler of Elysian. You are the last person that would be disturbing me, Young One."

"Okay," Yuugi blushed brightly, "I'll keep that in mind next time. What were you and the Council discussing?"

"Our unwelcome visitors."

"Oh, what about them?"

"It is obvious that they are not here for peace. It makes us jumpy and frustrated that we know their true objective, but we can do nothing about it."

"True objective?" Yuugi asked curiously.

"You," Atemu replied quietly, staring at him with solemn eyes. "We believe that their true objective is to bring you back with them."

"… I don't understand." Yuugi swallowed around the lump that had suddenly formed in his throat. "One of the reasons we are betrothed is so they can't take me away. Are you saying that they will still try?"

"Of that I have no doubt, Young One." Atemu placed a hand on his, and squeezed gently. "But do not worry. We will place guards around our chambers twenty-four-seven, and make sure someone is always with you. Also, we think that is best if you begin weapons training."

"Weapons training? Atemu, I can barely cast magic, let alone swing a sword."

"There are many weapons that you can choose from, Young One," Atemu chuckled heartily. "I think someone of your stature is best suited for daggers or archery."

Yuugi's shoulders sagged at how enthusiastic Atemu sounded, and murmured, "Is this really necessary?"

"Yes, it is for the best. But let us forget this for the moment. I have come to help you get ready for the ball tonight."

"Balls, weapons Training, what's next?" Yuugi drawled dryly.

"Lessons in seduction." Atemu replied, rising from the bed. "Those are also needed, Yuugi."

"What? You're joking, right?" Yuugi scurried off the bed to follow his grinning fiancé out of the room. "Atemu? Atemu!"

* * *

><p>AN : Well! Everyone is Elysian at long last! Took me long enough eh? I hope you enjoyed this chapter and See you soon


	19. Chapter 19

Valkyria : Hello everyone, it's finally October, one of my favorite months of the year, and for the first time, this will be a two-part Chapter! So, I hope you enjoy reading it.

Disclaimer : We claim no rights to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh

Beta'd by : Moondalian

Current Song : Solitude by Shinji Hosoe

* * *

><p><em>"Wisdom and truth, the offspring of the sky, are immortal; while cunning and deception, the meteors of the earth, after glittering for a moment, must pass away." - Robert Hall <em>

**Chapter Nineteen: Of Balls and Courting Part One.**

Timaeus smoothly ignored the curious and weary looks he got from the Elysian mages and soldiers as he explored the well-built training rooms the palace had to offer.

After he had been shown the ballroom, the drawing rooms, the libraries, and the gardens, it had been the training rooms that had finally sparked Timaeus' interest, much to the annoyance of his guide, who had left him to his own devices for the time being.

He stopped in front of a wall holding a wide assortment of weapons, and couldn't help but grin at the impressive display. Everything from blades to bows hung on the wall. Much to his surprise, some of the weapons he saw were of Atlantian design.

A loud, sharp whistle caused him to glance over his shoulder. Timaeus frowned when he spotted General Howard leaning against one of the nearby resting benches watching him with an arrogant smirk.

Keith pointed a gloved finger to the weapons that he was standing by. "Quite a collection of weapons these Elysians have. Some of them are of Sylvantian make." Keith looked around before settling his gaze back on Timaeus. "I must say that I am impressed by this entire set up."

"It is impressive," Timaeus agreed. "Is Elysian to your liking so far, General Howard?"

"It is a rich land full of magic, and so these soldiers are living a life of luxury," Keith snorted, and smirked at a passing mage who had heard his words. "They look lazy and spoiled. My soldiers would take them down without a problem."

"We are in a time of peace, General Howard." Timaeus nodded his head towards a group of trainees who were relaxing on the resting benches, showing off their new blades and staffs. "They may look lazy, but I would not underestimate them."

"Whatever you say, General Timaeus." Keith made his way over to him and grabbed one of the blades off the wall, giving it a test swing. "Not bad, not bad at all."

Keith turned to the Atlantian General and raised the blade to his neck. "A spar to see who's the best?"

Timaeus reached up and moved the blade away while giving Keith a disapproving frown. "I do not think we have the time to play around, General. We both have a task to complete."

Keith scowled at the reply and slowly pulled the blade away from the younger man's neck. "You certainly are full of integrity, aren't you, General Timaeus?"

"My comrades never fail to tell me that I am."

Keith snorted in amusement at the comment. "I can imagine that, but I do wonder what task your King has assigned you to, General. It wouldn't have something to do with Seer Yuugi, would it?"

"Maybe, maybe not," Timaeus responded vaguely. "It is really no business of yours, Howard."

"Do you really think that?" Keith asked with an arrogant smirk that caused Timaeus to narrow his eye. "Maybe our 'tasks' are one and the same."

Keith's last words caused a smirk to appear on Timaeus' lips. "I beg to differ, Howard. I highly doubt that our orders are the same."

"Now you don't know that, do you, General?" Keith drawled playfully. "How do you know what my King told me to do with the Seer? Maybe he's told me to kill him. Or maybe I should court him. Or perhaps I have been told to kidnap him and bring him to Sylvantia. Who knows what he's told me-"

Keith's mocking words came to an abrupt halt when he suddenly felt the tip of a sword pressed against his neck. The Sylvantian General grinned at the blazing anger he saw in Timaeus' eye.

"If you harm one hair on Seer Yuugi's head, you will pay for it in blood." Timaeus pressed the sword further into the blond's neck. "Do you understand me?"

"You defend him so quickly and yet you barely know him," Keith continued as if he hadn't heard Timaeus' threat. "You will have to excuse me when I say that I see nothing special about the Seer. He looks like he could barely pick up a sword, let alone use magic."

"You are blind." Timaeus inched the sword away from Keith's neck. "If you do not see the endless potential that Seer Yuugi has."

"Or maybe you have been blinded by your devotion to your King and the Seer," Keith countered smoothly. "When I look at Seer Yuugi, I see nothing but a weak child who got caught up in our Kings' political games. What use is a Seer on a battlefield or during negotiations between our lands?"

Timaeus opened his mouth to protest Keith's words when the sound of clapping cut him off. He turned, and spotted General Aegnor watching them with an amused smile.

"General Howard, General Timaeus," Marik's smooth voice echoed throughout the training rooms, "I must say that the two of you make quite the team."

Timaeus scowled lightly at the remark. "Is there something you need, General Aegnor?"

"I am here to make sure that the two of you know about the ball tonight. I am sure that both your Kings will expect you to be present, so you two need to start playing nice with each other. You're starting to attract unwanted attention."

Marik's remark caused Timaeus to look around and see that they had indeed attracted a small group of trainees, who were staring at them in shock and fear.

"Let them stare." Keith crossed his arms over his chest and stared Marik down. "As for this ball, I'll make sure that I will be there. King Crawford would definitely be expecting it."

"Yes," Timaeus nodded, "the same goes for me as well. Thank you for informing us of this, General Aegnor."

Marik shrugged his shoulders and began to walk towards the exit, waving his hand as he went.

"Well," Keith's rough voice drawled, making Timaeus tense, "this should be fun."

"I'll be keeping my eye on you tonight, Howard," Timaeus hissed. "You can make sure of that."

"Good," Keith chuckled, making his way to the same exit that Marik had just gone through, "while you're doing that, I can divert all of my attentions to the Seer."

"We'll see about that," Timaeus muttered with disdain.

He knew that the Sylvantian was screwing with him, but he couldn't help but wonder what kind of orders Pegasus could have given the blond-haired man. He would not admit it out loud, but it was worrying to not know what true purpose the Sylvantians had here in Elysian.

Emperor Faenor was not foolish enough to believe that Atlantis and Sylvantia had come here for peace talks. The crimson-eyed man knew that they were there to confirm the identity of the Seer, and that it was going to be brought up sooner or later.

It was just a matter of time.

* * *

><p>Pegasus stared down at the vial that was filled with a light-blue liquid before lifting his gaze to meet Dartz' expectant, golden eyes.<p>

"Is this…?"

Dartz nodded his head at the unfinished sentence. "Yes, what you hold in your hands is the cure for your Queen's disease." he handed Pegasus a small, black case filled with the same vials. "If you give her these she will recover in no time at all."

Pegasus tightened his grip on the vial and case as an overwhelming feeling of relief flowed through him. He could cure his beloved Cecelia, and they could continue ruling Sylvantia together until time separated them and they would go to the Ethereal Realm.

"I have upheld my end of the bargain." Dartz' smooth voice brought Pegasus abruptly out of his thoughts. "Now I expect the same from you."

Pegasus' lips thinned in displeasure and his stomach dropped at those words. "And what is it you want me to do for you, King Dartz?"

Dartz smiled at the barely concealed wariness he heard in the Sylvantian's voice. "Leviathan wants the Seer back in Atlantis, thus the reason why I am here. However, you know as well I that Emperor Faenor will not give the Seer up so easily. I have Timaeus working on bringing the Seer back to Atlantis through means of courtship, but if that plan does not work, war between Atlantis and Elysian is very likely to break out."

Pegasus blanched as Dartz finished his explanation, but the underlying meaning of the man's words was loud and clear.

"You need my soldiers and mages to help defeating Elysian if you do go to war."

"That is correct." Dartz nodded his head towards the case of vials in Pegasus' hands. "I consider that a fair trade, do you not?"

Pegasus forced down the bile that was suddenly rising in his throat. What Dartz was asking of him was by no means a fair trade. The man was asking him to bring his people into a conflict that could destroy Sylvantia in the long run. His Kingdom may be well-off, but they could not truly afford to go to war, especially not against someone as powerful as Elysian.

"King Crawford? Do we have a deal?" Dartz pointed to the case and vial in his hands. "You're cooperation in return for your Queen's cure."

"Your God, Leviathan, truly wants you to do this?" Pegasus asked, not giving his answer just yet. "He would truly command you to go to war just for the sake of obtaining Seer Yuugi?"

"Regardless of the fact that I am the ruling monarch of Atlantis, it is Leviathan who watches over us. His orders are absolute. What is your answer, King Crawford?"

Never in his thirty-five years of life had Pegasus felt so helpless. If he agreed, he would be risking the lives of his people and soldiers. He knew that Cecelia, his beloved wife, would never want this. She was too kind-hearted and would never trade her people's lives for the sake of her health.

But he could not stand to sit and watch her die. What kind of husband would he be if he didn't try to do everything in his power to save his wife?

_Forgive me, my dear people. F__orgive me, Cecelia, but I cannot bear to live my life without you by my side. _

"We are in agreement, King Dartz. If the time should come, I shall lend you my forces."

"Excellent, you can transport the vials through the magical fire if you wish to do so."

"I will do so now." Pegasus nodded his head, his reddish-brown eyes filled with gratitude and pain. "I must thank you for giving me these, King Dartz. It will lighten the hearts of my people to see their Queen make a full recovery."

"No thanks are needed, King Crawford." Dartz gave the silver-haired man a small smile. "As long as you keep your end of the bargain, all will be well."

"You needn't worry about that, King Dartz." Pegasus moved towards the door. "I will keep my word."

Dartz waited until the door clicked shut before letting a dark smirk pull at his lips. Honestly, the man was so easy to manipulate. It just showed that love could turn even Kings into bumbling fools with weak minds and hearts.

The vials Pegasus held so protectively would only prolong Queen Crawford's life, and it would in no way cure her of her disease. It would give him enough time to snatch the Seer and take him back to Atlantis through means of courtship or war.

It mattered little to him how they brought Seer Yuugi to Atlantis, as long as the task was completed. Although even he himself was curious as to why Leviathan wanted the Seer, it was no business of his to ask.

A God's orders were absolute, and Dartz had every intention of following them to the letter.

* * *

><p>"Watch your footing, Lucian! Caelum has taken you down twice now!"<p>

"Yes, Commander! Apologies, Commander!"

Hermos shook his head and gave the two mages a stern look. "No apologies are needed, Lucian. Résumé your positions and begin again."

"Yes, Commander!"

Nodding in satisfaction, Hermos turned his gaze away from both corporals and scanned the training fields to see many soldiers and mages - a combination of his and Critias' - running about. The Atlantian Training Fields were located on the west side of the Azure Palace. Soldiers and mages alike dotted the fields, using the obstacle courses and small arenas used for magical duels. Training dummies were set up for spell swords and archers to use.

Hermos never tired of coming here, whether it was to enjoy the serenity the fields offered when it was empty, or to spar with Critias or Timaeus when time allowed it.

"Is there something troubling you, little one? Anxiety is coming through our bond in waves."

Hermos to see Angelus lying on the grass, staring at him with unwavering, amber eyes. The General reached forward and placed his armored hand on the dragon's neck.

He was not surprised that the dragon would comment on his anxiety and frustration. They had known each other since he had been a child. Angelus had been given to him by the previous third general while he had still been training to take the man's place.

Like any other dragon-human relationship, Angelus and he had not gotten along, insulting each other at every chance they had gotten. It hadn't been until the previous general had died that they had finally seen each other as allies, friends, and they had eventually bonded.

"Shall I make you a list, Angelus? The King's sudden departure to Elysian with Timaeus in tow, and Her Highness' sudden change in behavior after her meeting with Leviathan. I feel like the peace we have always taken for granted is slowly crumbling beneath our feet."

The pair descended into silence before Angelus spoke up again, the dragon's voice sounded troubled and reluctant.

"You were always a worrier when you were a child, Hermos," Angelus murmured, "but this time, I will not scold you for it."

Hermos frowned at the reply and rubbed his hand up and down the dragon's neck. "Angelus, you sound strange. Is everything alright?"

"I am afraid not, little one," Angelus replied, raising his head and catching his gaze. "Something about Atlantis has changed as of late."

"What do you mean?"

Angelus turned his head towards the sky and sniffed. "The air; the energy surrounding Atlantis has grown darker, more sinister."

"Forgive me, Angelus, but that is not the most pleasant thing to hear with everything going on." Hermos turned back to the soldiers and mages still training on the fields. "What of Lenneth and Galen? Do they both feel the same?"

"Lenneth was the first one to feel the disturbance," Angelus replied. "Though she said nothing of it at first, she finally confessed when Timaeus and King Dartz departed for Elysian."

"A week?" Hermos drawled sarcastically, sending waves of annoyance and worry through the link he shared with the dragon. "And you are just informing me of this now?"

"We had to be sure that this disturbance was not being caused by mere wayward energy coming from the many mages that reside here in Atlantis."

"Do you have any idea where this dark energy is coming from?"

"No, Lenneth, Galen, and I have flown the skies and skimmed the waters of this Kingdom, and yet we could not pinpoint the exact location. Let us halt this matter for the moment, little one, lest we have to re-explain ourselves to Critias."

Hermos glanced over his shoulder to see Critias walking brusquely towards them, ignoring the soldiers and mages saluting him.

"Critias!"

The light mage frowned heavily when he saw how emotionless Critias' eyes were once the man was close enough.

He reached forward and clasped the older man's shoulder. "Critias, what is the matter?"

"I shall explain in a moment, Hermos." Critias bowed his head towards Angelus. "Angelus, it is good to see you again. I trust that you are faring well?"

"I am doing well, but I wish I could say the same for you, young Critias." Angelus stared the General down, his slitted, amber eyes flickering with concern and weariness. "Judging from your expression, I take it that you have not received good news?"

"No, I have not," Critias turned to Hermos with a grim frown. "Her Highness, Princess Christina, has confided in me what happened during her meeting with Leviathan."

"I do not understand," Hermos shook his head in confusion. "How can that be bad news? Have we not been waiting for her to tell us? To confide in us what has been ailing her?"

"I internally rejoiced when she told me that she wished to confide, but the more she told me, the angrier and more worried I became."

"What did Leviathan say?"

"Leviathan wants the Seer within Atlantian borders," Critias replied heavily. "He feels that Elysian would not do a good job protecting the Seer."

"So he sent His Majesty to take care of the task?" Angelus murmured. "Those actions could lead to war between Atlantis and Elysian."

"It does not matter what the cost is as long as the task is completed." Critias muttered bitterly. "Leviathan has the utmost confidence that we could win if we were to wage war against Elysian."

"Is there no way that we could convince Leviathan or His Majesty not to go through with this?" Hermos asked. "Thousands will be slain if this were to happen."

"Neither will listen to us, Hermos." Critias sounded resigned, and Hermos wanted to do nothing more than to assure the older man that everything would be alright, but he knew that he would be telling nothing but lies.

"Tell me," Angelus began. "Is Her Highness willing to become Queen of Atlantis?"

Critias' eyes narrowed at the dragon's words. "You cannot mean…?"

"You are correct in your assumption, young Critias." Angelus gave both of them a fang-filled smirk. "Princess Christina could usurp the throne of Atlantis and claim her place as Queen."

"She would never do such a thing," Hermos chimed in. "If she were to usurp the throne, it could lead to a civil war within the city with one side following King Dartz and the other following her. Her Highness would never want her people to suffer in such a way."

"Do either of you truly know this?" Angelus huffed. "To keep and maintain peace, sacrifices must be made! As the future ruler of this land, Princess Christina must make decisions that not everyone might agree with."

"Her Highness and His Majesty aside," Critias interrupted smoothly, "it is the council and the King's elite guards that I am worried about. Those vile snakes must have known about this for quite a while now. What are we to do about them?"

"Angelus and I will take care of the elite guards and the council if it ever comes to that." Hermos replied. "You should first consult with Her Highness on what to do about this. I am sure she will figure out something."

Critias cast a weary glance at the Azure Palace. "Let us hope that she does."

* * *

><p><em>"<em>Now arriving, His Majesty, Emperor Faenor and his consort, Seer Yuugi Motou!"

"There is no need to be nervous, Young One," Atemu whispered into his ear as they descended the steps into the ballroom.

"That's easy for you to say," Yuugi huffed, grasping the older man's hand tightly. "You are used to this."

"Now, now," Atemu soothed, nodding his head towards a few of the nobles who bowed their heads, "with time, you will get used to this as well."

They stopped near the small refreshment tables, and Atemu released his hand to grab the ladle. "Let's calm you down a little, shall we?"

Yuugi blinked and gave the older man a bemused look. "… Are you trying to get me drunk?"

"Of course not," Atemu sounded hurt, but Yuugi did not miss the amusement that lingered. "I would never do such a thing. I would not be able to dance the night away with you if I did that."

Atemu filled the small glass with juice and turned to hand it to Yuugi with a small grin. "I've tasted it myself, Young One. It is one of the few bowls that is not spiked with wine."

Yuugi took the glass with a grateful smile. Before he could take a sip, someone coughed discreetly from behind them.

He turned to see a scarred, raven-haired man donning a simple, sleeveless red tunic that showed off his muscular arms, and a pair of tight black trousers.

"General Timaeus." Yuugi greeted happily. "Thank you for joining us tonight."

"It was my pleasure, Seer Yuugi." Timaeus bowed his head towards Atemu. "Your Majesty, might I present Seer Yuugi with a present this night? I want no offense taken because he is your consort."

Atemu's scarlet eyes drifted to the box tucked under Timaeus' arm. "That is fine, General Timaeus. I see no harm in presenting my consort with a gift."

Timaeus placed the black and gold-trimmed box in Yuugi's hands after Yuugi had placed his drink on a small table. "I hope that you will like it."

Yuugi opened the box and sucked in a sharp breath at what was inside it. Lying on the velvet cushions were a pair of daggers. The hilts were of a deep blue and the blades were a mix of gold and white.

"O-Oh…" Yuugi flushed and closed the box. "These are very beautiful. Thank you, General Timaeus."

"It was my pleasure, Seer Yuugi. I know daggers are not the most…common gift to give someone, but I would like to think that they will come in handy one day in the future."

"Indeed they shall," Atemu interrupted smoothly, his eyes narrowing on Timaeus. "We both thank you for the generous gift, General Timaeus."

Yuugi blinked at Atemu's tone. It sounded as if the man was…

Jealous?

"Again, it was my pleasure." Timaeus held out his hand while keeping a wary eye on Atemu. "If Your Majesty does not mind, may I have this dance as well?"

"Of course," Yuugi replied before Atemu could, "but only one dance, I'm afraid. I promised His Majesty the entire night."

Timaeus grinned in Atemu's direction. "The Gods have indeed blessed you with such a wonderful man to become your consort, Your Majesty."

Atemu leaned down and pressed his lips against the corner of Yuugi's mouth. "Indeed they have. Go have your dance beloved. I will be watching you."

Atemu took the gift and watched as Timaeus took Yuugi onto the dance floor, before setting it down on the table for the time being. He had a feeling that he was being examined.

The Emperor raised his eyes and met Dartz' from across the floor. His lips thinned with displeasure when he saw how smug the Atlantian looked.

Suddenly, having Yuugi and Timaeus dance wasn't the most pleasant idea.

* * *

><p>"We're at a ball and you want to check on my progress? Is this really the time to be talking about this?"<p>

"Is there something wrong with that?" Seto crossed his arms over his black and blue, silk robes. "I do want to see how well Mahad has been teaching you."

"He's been doing fine," Jou pulled at the sleeve of his brand new, red and gold outfit. "Why didn't you ask him yourself?"

"I did, and he says that you are making remarkable progress, but I want to know your opinion on how you think you are doing. The opinion of the student counts as well."

Jou pushed the flattery he felt at the older man's words away, and turned his gaze away and onto the dance floor. The ball celebrating King Crawford and King Dartz' welcome was in full swing.

When he had first stepped into the room, he had been blown away by the design of it. The floors were golden and black in color with the insignia of the royal family set in the middle. The walls were lined with large, pane windows that had small protection runes etched into them. The only light came from the five chandeliers placed on the ceiling and the magical torches near the grand stairway leading out of the room.

"I appreciate your concern, Seto, but really, everything is going fine. Mahad even got me interested in becoming a spell sword."

"Yes, he informed me of that when we discussed you earlier," Seto muttered. "When this whole fiasco is settled, I will introduce you to one of the best spell sword we have."

"Sounds good. How are things going with Dartz and Crawford?"

"If you do not mind the unbearable tension in the room every time we try to discuss something, I'd say things are going spectacularly well."

"That's…" Jou shook his head and gave the taller man a sympathetic look. "That's horrible."

"Indeed it is."

Wanting to change the subject, Jou looked around until he spotted Yuugi and a raven-haired man making their way onto the dance floor. He frowned when the man leaned down and whispered something into Yuugi's ear that caused him to smile.

"Seto? Who is that with Yuugi?"

The lead council glanced up and both his eyebrows shot up at the sight. "That is General Timaeus of Atlantis. I'm surprised His Majesty isn't pitching a fit right now."

"Unless he allowed it," Jou reasoned calmly, still keeping his eyes on the dancing pair. He grabbed Seto's hand and began to drag him onto the dance floor. "Come on, let's get a closer look."

"Can you even dance, Jounouchi?" Seto drawled, though he did nothing to pull away. He felt more amused than anything.

"Shizuka taught me a thing or two."

"That does not make me feel better in the least."

They came to a stop near Timaeus and Yuugi, and Seto grabbed Jou's hand and placed his hand on the narrow hip. The council member couldn't help but smirk when he saw how deeply Jou flushed at the touch.

Maybe this was going to be better than he thought.

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><p>AN : End Part One. Thanks for reading.


	20. Chapter 20

Valkyria : I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed typing it. Nothing really new to say today.

Beta'd by : Moondalian.

Disclaimer : We claim no rights to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh

Current Music : Fantasy by Nana Katase.

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><p><em>"One man may hit the mark, another blunder; but heed not these distinctions. Only from the alliance of the one, working with and through the other, are great things born." - Antoine de Saint. <em>

**Chapter Twenty: Of Balls and Courting Part Two.**

As Timaeus lead him onto the dance floor, Yuugi prayed that the short dance lessons Atemu had given him would pay off. The last thing he wanted to do was embarrass himself in front of two visiting kings and his own fiancé.

"You look distracted," Timaeus' commented in his rough voice. "Are you bored of me already?"

"No, of course not! I-" Yuugi's words were cut off when the general let out a low laugh that was meant for their ears only.

"I apologize," Timaeus began softly, placing one of his hands on his hip. "I was merely teasing you. I did not mean to get such a rise out of you."

"It's quite alright,"

Not wanting to embarrass himself further, Yuugi placed one of his own hands on Timaeus' broad shoulders and waited until the next piece of music to begin. It would be in his best interest if he didn't say anything further.

Timaeus, however, seemed to have other plans. As the music started, the General's rough, deep voice caressed Yuugi's ears again.

"I hope the daggers weren't too much of an unusual gift." The man gently lifted his arm up and twirled him around, before replacing his hand at the small of his back.

"No, not at all," Yuugi flushed lightly as Timaeus tightened his grip on his hand as they twirled around once, "the daggers were very beautiful."

"I am relieved to hear that." Timaeus dipped him briefly before pulling him back up. "We will be here for two weeks. I would be happy to teach how to use them."

Yuugi felt weariness creep up inside of him at those murmured words. Though they were not offensive in the least, he could not help but feel as though the man had other objectives than just teaching him how to wield daggers properly.

Yuugi gave Timaeus' shoulder an apologetic squeeze. "Thank you for the offer General, but I already have a teacher assigned to me."

Timaeus' thin lips stretched into a small smile. "There is no need to apologize, Seer Yuugi. It was merely a friendly offer."

They took two steps back and accidentally bumped into another pair of dancers. Yuugi glanced over his shoulder to give a quick apology, but the words never left his lips the blond of the pair they'd bumped into spoke up first.

"Yuugi, hey!"

"Friends of yours?" he heard Timaeus ask with a hint of curiosity in his voice. Yuugi absently nodded his head, his eyes never drifting away from the sight.

Jou and Seto were standing before him, both men dressed in silk robes that fit their frames perfectly. It wasn't that he was surprised to see Jou on the dance floor or anything…

It was the fact that he was on the dance floor with _Seto Kaiba _of all people.

"I don't believe that we've met," Seto's smooth voice cut into Yuugi's thoughts. "I am Seto Kaiba, head of the Council of Val'ista, and this Jounouchi Katsuya, Seer Yuugi's friend and my student."

Timaeus nodded his head towards both men. "It is a pleasure to meet you both." He turned back to Yuugi "Allow me to return you to His Majesty now, Seer Yuugi."

"Yes, of course," Yuugi turned to Seto, and Jou and frowned when he saw both of them staring at Timaeus suspiciously.

"I'll see you two later," Yuugi spoke up, making both men turn to him with slightly shamed expressions.

Timaeus and Yuugi quietly made their way off the dance floor and back to Atemu, who was now near the refreshment table talking to Raphael.

"Your Majesty," Timaeus bowed his head slightly, "I must thank you for allowing me to dance with Seer Yuugi."

"It is no problem at all, General Timaeus. I am sure that Yuugi enjoyed himself."

"Yes, I did." Yuugi glanced at the box containing the daggers. "Thank you for the dance and the gift, General Timaeus."

"No need for thanks, Seer Yuugi. It was an honor for me to do it." Timaeus replied. "Now, if you will excuse me-"

"General Timaeus?" Raphael spoke up, before the younger man could walk away. "Might I have a word with you?"

Timaeus blinked once before nodding his head. "Yes, of course. Raphael was it?"

Atemu watched both men walk away before returning his attention to Yuugi, who had his eyes on the dance floor. He followed Yuugi's gaze and both his eyebrows shot up at the sight of Seto and Jou dancing.

"That is a sight that I thought I would never see."

Yuugi chuckled from beside him. "I think they got on the dance floor to spy on me when they saw General Timaeus and me dancing."

"Speaking of which," Atemu murmured, "what were the two of you talking about?"

"You were watching?" Yuugi turned to him with a sly smile on his lips. "When we came back over here, you were in deep conversation with Lord Raphael."

"When you are an Emperor, you must learn to multi-task. You are avoiding the question, Young One."

Yuugi wrapped his arms around Atemu's and began to pull him onto the dance floor. "He just asked if I wanted him to teach me how to use the daggers he gave me."

"That was a generous offer," Atemu muttered, allowing himself to be dragged onto the dance floor despite the fact that many of the nobles looked at them with scandalized expressions.

"I wouldn't worry about it," Yuugi chimed in cheerfully. "He was just being friendly, that's all."

Atemu was not foolish enough to believe that, and he would make sure to tell Yuugi the same after the ball had ended. He had not missed the soft looks Timaeus had sent Yuugi when he had presented his gift. Nor had he missed the possessive hold the General had had on Yuugi during their dance.

He quickly let the suspicions he had rest. For now, he had a duty of sweeping his Young One off his feet.

* * *

><p>"I must say that you do not waste any time," Raphael commented once they were out of the Emperor and Seer's earshot.<p>

Timaeus narrowed his eye. "Pardon?"

"With the Seer," Raphael elaborated. "That was the task you were given, correct? To bring the Seer back to Atlantis-"

"How do you know about such things?" Timaeus hissed, discreetly grabbing Raphael's black sleeve. "Who told you?"

"Who would tell me?" Raphael drawled sarcastically, turning his gaze to Dartz, who was in deep conversation with Pegasus. "His Majesty, King Dartz, of course."

Timaeus abruptly released Raphael's tunic sleeve when it clicked in his mind. "You are…? But how long…?"

Raphael gave the general a dark, smug smirk. "I left Atlantis at the age of sixteen. Seeing as I am thirty-two now, that would make it about sixteen years. It is amazing how easily these Elysians trust people."

Staring at the man before him, Timaeus did not know if he felt impressed at how long Raphael had been able to keep the fact that he was a spy a secret from someone who was as sharp as the Emperor, or disgusted at how smug the man looked and sounded.

Leaning in closer, Timaeus murmured, "How much longer do you think you can keep this up, Raphael? Your task to King Dartz takes priority above all else. Now that he is here, Emperor Faenor will no doubt begin to notice your little connection."

Raphael shrugged and gave the General a bored look. "It will not matter in the long run if Emperor Faenor discovers me or not. King Dartz will eventually have the Seer in his grasp and Elysian will be wiped off the map."

Timaeus snorted at the arrogance Raphael displayed. "I do not think that will be such an easy task."

"I do not expect it to be an easy task, General. After all, where would the challenge be if it was?"

* * *

><p>Dancing with Atemu felt breathtaking, liberating, and sensual. Yuugi fought to keep his breathing even when the Emperor dipped him and pressed his face against his neck for a moment before lifting him back up.<p>

He knew that the older man was a good dancer from the quick lessons they had, but apparently Atemu had been holding back even then.

"Are you okay?" Atemu asked, slowly spinning them around three times. "You look dazed."

"I-I'm fine," Yuugi whispered. He clung to the man's upper arm as they continued around the dance floor.

"You do not sound like it," Atemu murmured. "Are you not enjoying yourself? I know that having Dartz and Pegasus here has put a damper on things for us."

A chuckle escaped Yuugi's throat at how worried Atemu sounded. "I'm fine, Atemu, really,"

"Good," Atemu leaned down and pressed a kiss to his neck that caused him to shiver, "because you are supposed to dance with me for the rest of the night."

"I remember-" Yuugi gasped sharply when a very familiar pain pierced his mind. He blindly grasped Atemu's shoulder as another vision assaulted his mind.

_A blond man donning midnight-blue armor clutched a younger woman in his arms as blood stained her silk white dress. The man pulling the woman closer before lifting his anger-filled gaze to the ones standing in front of him. _

"_What have you done?" _

"_I have done nothing! This is her punishment for disobeying the one who gave us our livelihood!" _

"_By following his word you are the ones destroying our livelihoods! His plans will ruin us all!" _

_A man wearing a hooded, brown cloak holding out his hand. "Come with me, I promise that no harm shall come to you." _

"_Who are you?" _

"_A friend." _

"_You are no friend of mine." _

_The cloaked man pulling his hand away. "Stubborn thing, aren't you? Very well, you give me no choice." _

"-uugi! Yuugi!"

Yuugi opened his eyes to see Atemu, Jou and Seto hovering over him with worry in their eyes. It took him a moment to realize that he was lying on the ballroom floor. He reached up and grabbed Atemu loose sleeve.

"What..?" he croaked. He coughed to clear his throat and winced when he realized how sore it was. He must have been screaming long and hard for that to happen.

"Hush," Atemu whispered, reaching down to place his arm under Yuugi's legs and neck before lifting him up bridal style, "let's get back to our chambers, okay?"

"Okay," Yuugi closed his eyes and slumped against the Emperor's chest, oblivious to the deathly silence that his vision had brought to the once joyous occasion.

As Atemu, Yuugi, Seto, and Jou departed from the ballroom, all of them failed to notice the intense yet curious gazes of Timaeus, Dartz, and Pegasus.

* * *

><p>"Our eyes and ears are open to your pleas, Your Highness, but we cannot disobey Leviathan. His word is absolute within Atlantis and its surrounding lands."<p>

"You say that your ears and eyes are open, but all of you - including my father - are deaf and blind in your devotion to Leviathan. Do you not see that his will, his word, is leading us down the path or ruin?"

"Do you not see that you are not displaying the confidence that the people need in order to survive this latest test Leviathan has set for us, Your Highness?"

In a fit of frustration and despair, Christina marched over to the closed curtains and ripped them open, allowing sunlight to penetrate the room.

"I love the people of Atlantis," Christina turned her gaze away from the bustling city and stared at the council, who remained seated at the half-circle table. "There is nothing that I would not do for them. How dare you accuse me of not being there for them? You and my father are the ones who will spill their blood in the long run."

"Sacrifices must be made, Your Highness." Alistair, head of the Council of the Heavens, rose from his chair. "As heir to the throne of Atlantis you must understand that above all else."

"Sacrifices," Christina murmured, staring into Alistair's violet eyes directly, "can be avoided if you try hard enough."

"And sometimes they cannot be avoided," Alistair countered. "You will realize that once you become Queen of Atlantis, Your Highness."

"If listening to a God who has gone mad and sacrificing our soldiers like lambs to a slaughter is something I have to do when I become Queen, I would rather abdicate my position here and now."

"You are not foolish enough to do such a thing, Your Highness," Freya, another council member, stated. "Your father would be disappointed if he were to come home and find he no longer has an heir."

Christina glared at the slim, ebony-haired woman sitting to the right of Alistair. "Disappointment is an unfortunate part of life, Lady Freya. Now, if you'll excuse me; I have other matters to attend to."

As Christina turned and began to walk out of the conference room, Alistair's deep voice followed her.

"Do not do anything foolish, Your Highness. I am sure that you do not want to be the one to invoke Leviathan's wraith."

_Invoking Leviathan's wraith is the last thing I am worried about. _

Christina stepped out of the conference room and nodded her head at Critias. "Walk with me, General. We have much to discuss."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Did my father's elite guard say anything of worth?"

Critias waited until a group of servants had passed by before speaking, "Hermos has not reported back yet, Your Highness, but I doubt that they will have told him anything that could be of use."

"Any word from my father?"

"His Majesty sent a message asking about your welfare shortly after your visit with Leviathan."

"What did you tell him?"

"That you were well and eagerly awaiting his return." Christina frowned at the hesitation in Critias' voice. She turned her head to give him a smile of approval to show that she wasn't angry with his excuse. He'd had no choice but to lie, after all.

"Have you decided on what I have asked of you, Your Highness?"

Christina stopped and stared up at Critias. "If I were to take the throne behind my father, the council, and Leviathan's backs, it would lead to a civil war, Critias. I am trying to avoid a war, not start it."

"I understand that, Your Highness, but we might not have a choice in the matter. The people are starting to wonder why His Majesty truly made the trip to Elysian, and it will not be long before even the soldiers will start to question why their training regimens have increased…"

"It will not be long before the entire palace will have caught wind of what is going on." Christina finished bitterly.

"Your Highness?"

"I will think on this, Critias, but keep the soldiers and mages on the regimens that they have for now. Also, have Hermos report to my office as soon as possible."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Christina watched Critias walk into the opposite direction, heading towards the soldiers' quarters where Hermos was most likely waiting. The urge to call him back so she wouldn't be alone with her thoughts was strong, but she suppressed the temptation and made her way back to her chambers.

The thought of taking the throne from her father was not a pleasant one. Despite all that was happening, she still loved her father with all of her heart. However, Christina felt she had no choice in the matter.

She was going to have to usurp her father, causing a civil war in the city in the process, or watch as a full-fledged war with Elysian that spilled the blood of thousands.

When it came down to it, neither choice sounded good.

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><p>AN : Well! The Ball with Yuugi having another vision and in front of Timaeus, Dartz and Pegasus looking on. Christina has one hell of a decision to make doesn't she? Usurp the throne or let her people to war? decisions...decisions!

See you guys next time!


	21. Chapter 21

Valkyria : Hey Guys! Saturday Update! I'm going to go ahead and let you read, so no comments, as for votes in the current chapter of Seduced, still haven't been counted yet, so be patient.

Disclaimer : We claim no ownership of the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh!

Current Song : At Peace with Extinction - Motoi Sakuraba

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><p><em>"All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another." - Anatole France <em>

**Chapter Twenty-One: Devotion and Praise.**

"We have nothing to say to the likes of you, General Hermos."

Hermos stared down the speaker of that snide remark and felt a rush of satisfaction and amusement when the elite soldier quickly backed down.

Staring at the small group before him, Hermos could see why Critias despised the soldiers so much. These men displayed an air of arrogance that made him shudder in disgust and anger.

He had heard his fair share of stories about how the elites shamelessly flaunted with their rank to get the best of everything from his own men and Critias. But despite their arrogance and greed, their skills with sword and magic were nothing to scoff at. They were not called elites for nothing.

"On the contrary," Hermos countered, "I believe you gentlemen do have something to tell me."

One of the elites, one dressed in red and black armor, gave him a dark smirk. "And what would that be, General? What information could we possibly have to give you?"

"King Dartz," Hermos stated bluntly. "I want to know everything about his plans."

"What plans?" Another one of the elite's called out. This one was dressed in blue and white armor. "King Dartz is on a diplomatic trip to Elysian. His Majesty is hoping to further strengthen the ties between our lands."

Hermos' eyes narrowed at the response. "Do not take me for a fool." He placed his hand on his hip where his sword rested. "Do not make me force the truth out of you."

The tension in the room became thick and heavy, and Hermos tightened his grip on his blade when the elites stepped closer.

"You? Force the truth out of us? That's very amusing coming from a third-rate soldier who goes around calling himself a General."

Hermos raised an eyebrow at the insult. "And you think that you have the right to call yourself an elite, Dante? If I remember correctly, you are in this group because your father paid your way-"

Hermos only had a split-second to draw his sword and block the attack that suddenly came his way. With a grunt, he sent Dante crashing into two of the larger elites standing closely.

"Now," Hermos pointed his blade towards the small group, "let us try this again, shall we? What information do you have about King Dartz plans?"

"We aren't telling you a damned thing!" Dante spat from the floor. "What right do you of all people have to go around investigating His Majesty's activities?"

Hermos shrugged and gave Dante a small, smug smirk. "Let us just say that I have my reasons."

"Planning to take the throne for yourself, General Hermos?" A smooth voice drawled with a hint of amusement.

Hermos kept his sword pointed towards Dante, but allowed his eyes to drift towards the speaker. Leaning against the wall was a tall man donning black armor with a light blue trim.

"Cayden," Hermos greeted with a hint of caution. "I have no aspirations of taking the throne. I am not greedy like some of your men here."

"No," Cayden murmured, "you are not. I find it hard to imagine a beautiful thing like you to be power-hungry."

"Flirtatious man," Hermos chuckled mirthlessly. "You of all people knows where my heart lies."

"Indeed I do," Cayden sounded bitter and somewhat regretful. "I'm afraid that we cannot give you any valuable information on King Dartz plans."

"Can't or won't?"

Cayden moved away from the wall and drew his sword. "I think you know the answer to that, Hermos. Now, I'm going to have to ask you to lower your blade and leave."

Hermos tightened his grip on his blade and made no move to lower it. "And if I don't?"

Cayden raised his sword in Hermos' direction. "Do you really have to ask that, dear heart?"

Hermos moved back just in time to avoid Cayden's downward slash. He raised his blade to block the man's swift second attack.

"Attacking me definitely means that you're hiding something, Cayden." Hermos smirked and pushed back against Cayden's blade, forcing the man back several spaces.

Cayden slid to a stop and lowered his blade. He lowered his guard and gave a Hermos a thoughtful look. "I'll tell you what, dear heart. If you defeat me, I'll tell you everything you need to know."

"Captain Cayden!" Dante roared.

Hermos stared Cayden down warily. The man was larger than him, and was just as fast as Timaeus even on a bad day. As leader of His Majesty's elite guard, Cayden was considered to be one of the best swordsman in Atlantis next to Critias and Timaeus. As an added bonus, he was a solar mage and performed summoning magic as though it was nothing more than a child's plaything.

"And if you win?"

Cayden's heated, brown eyes drifted down Hermos' body slowly. "I think you know what I want, dear heart."

Hermos shuddered and tightened his grip on the hilt of his blade. "I will do my very best to win, Cayden. Let there be no doubt about that."

Cayden merely smirked before charging towards Hermos, and making a sideways swipe with his sword once he was within range. Hermos cursed under his breath as he evaded the strike, and quickly lunged his blade forward towards Cayden's face.

"That's playing dirty," Cayden chided, moving his head out of the way. He quickly placed his blade in his right hand and swung his fist into Hermos' jaw.

Hermos head snapped to the left, but before he could get his footing back, Cayden forced the hilt of his blade into his stomach, causing him to fall to the ground.

Hermos' blade dropped to the ground and slid a few feet away from him. Hermos looked up to see Cayden looming over him with a wicked grin.

"Getting a little rusty in these times of peace, dear heart?" Cayden raised his blade over his head. "Looks like I'm going to win this little battle."

Hermos rolled over as Cayden swung his blade to the ground, causing a series of sparks. He reached for his blade only to have it kicked further away. Hermos looked up into Dante's smug, hazel eyes and let out a deep growl.

"Better get up," Dante taunted, nodding his head towards Cayden. "Captain Cayden likes to play with his prey before he eats it."

Hermos quickly stood when he heard rushing footsteps coming his way. He swung his leg in a round house kick only to have Cayden catch his leg and give it a sharp twist.

"Even underneath this armor, I can feel the muscles of those beautiful thighs of yours," Cayden purred, putting pressure on the aforementioned limb.

Hermos quickly gathered light energy into his palm and swung it in Cayden's face, causing the man to cry out in surprise and release his leg.

"Restrain him!" Cayden roared through the blinding light Hermos had cast. Both his arms were captured and he was forced to his knees. He struggled only to have the grip on his arms tighten, and a knee to be pressed into his back to force him still.

"Maybe I was wrong about you being rusty," Cayden chuckled, staring at him through narrowed eyes. "You never fail to impress me, dear heart."

Hermos gave Cayden an icy glare and struggled against the lower elites holding him. "Have you no honor, Cayden? Using your men when it was one on one!"

Cayden gave Hermos an innocent look. "When did I ever say it was going to be one-on-one, dear heart? If I remember correctly, we laid down no ground rules before our little match began."

Hermos sucked in a sharp breath when he realized that Cayden was correct. They hadn't laid down any rules when the match had started.

"Release me," Hermos commanded. "I've had enough of your games, Cayden."

Cayden bent down on one knee and gently removed Hermos' head armor. He caressed Hermos' cheek before pulling away and reaching into the small pouch on his hip.

Hermos eyes narrowed when Cayden brought out a small, green jewel. "What is that?"

"This?" Cayden swung the necklace back and forth in Hermos' face. "This little emerald is called the Jewel of the Orichalcos. It is a little present from Leviathan to His Majesty."

"Then why is it in your greedy, little hands?"

"His Majesty thought that it would best serve us," Cayden smirked. "I have to tell you though, this little thing gives our magical abilities quite the power boost."

Hermos watched as the jewel glowed briefly before the light faded again. He cautiously glanced at Cayden's eyes to see that they now had a red tint to them. The man looked as if he was possessed, but that couldn't be right.

Hermos swallowed heavily. "What price did you have to pay to obtain such an item?"

"Eternal devotion to Leviathan and King Dartz was all that was asked to be given." Cayden shrugged. "Not too bad of a trade, if I do say so myself."

"What do you plan on doing now?"

Cayden gripped the necklace and licked his lips. "I'm sure that Leviathan wouldn't mind another follower. Why don't we slip this on? It would fit nicely against that smooth, pale neck of yours."

Hermos leaned away from Cayden and struggled against the arms holding him. "I'm not going to be anyone's puppet!"

"It's not that bad. The benefits outweigh the costs." Cayden looked at his elites with a smirk. "Pin him down."

Hermos cried out as the elites pinned him down to the floor. He growled when Cayden leaned over him with the necklace still hanging loosely from his fingers.

"This won't hurt a bit," Cayden purred, lifting Hermos' head. "You'll even forget about your dear Critias, whom you love so much. Hell, you can probably find someone better with the power and opportunity this little jewel is going to give you."

Hermos' heart stuttered at the thought of forgetting Critias. He closed his eyes quickly, gathering the magical energy that was around him.

"_**Guide, **__**Guide **__**this **__**being **__**away **__**from **__**the **__**darkness**__**…**__**Heaven's **__**Wings!"**_

Hermos kept his eyes shut tightly as the room was enveloped by the blinding light of his magic and the screams of his captives.

* * *

><p>"Never in my lifetime did I expect to see a Seer experience a vision."<p>

Timaeus raised an eyebrow at how excited his King sounded. To him, there was nothing exciting about seeing Seer Yuugi writhe on the floor in pain while experiencing one of his visions.

When he had first heard the piercing scream from the dance floor, the first thing Timaeus had done had been to reach for the small dagger that was hidden in his boots. With dagger in hand, he had turned to see Yuugi writhing on the floor with Emperor Faenor leaning over him, calling out his name in barely suppressed panic.

He started for the Emperor and Seer Yuugi when Raphael had roughly brought him to a stop. Before he had been able to ask why the man had stopped him, Raphael had merely stated that the Emperor could handle the situation, and that the only thing he could do was sit back and watch.

Even though he had only known the Seer for little more than a day, Timaeus felt his heart twist painfully at the sight of the younger man on the floor experiencing something that would always be beyond his comprehension.

"-loser eye on the Seer."

Timaeus blinked and flushed lightly when he saw King Dartz staring at him with a raised eyebrow. He quickly lowered his head and asked the older man to repeat the question.

"I said that it would be best if you kept a closer eye on the Seer from now on." Dartz leaned against his temporary office desk. "And to get to know him better."

"You wish to get him to Atlantis sooner than planned, Your Majesty?"

"I expect only the best attempts from you, General. I want Seer Yuugi with us when we depart. That is the time span you were granted."

"Yes, Your Majesty, but might I ask you something?"

Curiosity flickered across Dartz' golden eyes. "What is it you wish to ask, Timaeus?"

"It is about Raphael." Timaeus narrowed his eye at the thought of the spy. "How long do you intend to use him?"

Much to Timaeus' surprise, Dartz chuckled and gave him an amused look. "What you truly wish to ask, Timaeus, is why I did not tell you I had a spy within Elysian."

"Your Majesty-"

"Raphael is merely a tool for me to use, and can be disposed of whenever I choose. I will admit that he has served me extremely well these past sixteen years, but as of late, he has been less than his usual best."

"Do you think Emperor Faenor has caught on to Raphael?"

"Of that I have no doubt." Dartz frowned. "However, I am positive that they have not figured out which kingdom he is serving. Raphael might be slipping, but he is at least thorough in hiding little facts."

"What do you intend to do about this, Your Majesty?"

"You needn't worry about Raphael, Timaeus." Dartz walked around the desk and took a seat in the chair. "I will take care of him if the need should ever arise."

Timaeus watched Dartz dip a feather pen into an ink bottle before he started to write on the paper that had been provided for him.

He had no doubt that Dartz was writing to his daughter to ask how she was. He wondered how Critias and Hermos were doing. He hoped that Hermos wasn't giving Critias too much of a headache.

"Is there anything else that you wish to discuss, Timaeus?"

Timaeus' eyes snapped up to meet Dartz', who had stopped writing and had taken to staring at him curiously.

"No, Your Majesty, I'll take my leave of you now."

As Timaeus started for the door, Dartz calling his name halted his advance. "Yes, Your Majesty?"

"Please make sure that you stop by Seer Yuugi's chambers with another gift in hand. This is the perfect excuse to get to know him better."

"Yes, I will make sure to do that, Your Majesty."

"Very well, then, you are dismissed,"

Timaeus nodded his head again before turning on his heel and walking out of the temporary office. He made his way down the hall and back to his guest chambers.

He didn't trust Raphael, despite the fact that he was technically on their side. He knew that it wouldn't take long before the spy's arrogance got the better of him, and he would screw up. When he did, it wasn't going to look good for him or King Dartz.

At the thought of his King, Timaeus felt suspicion well up inside him before he quickly squashed it back down to the back of his mind. He really had no right to question King Dartz' motives, and he was surprised that the man had even answered his question.

But even though he wouldn't dare question his King, Timaeus couldn't help but wonder what else the man was hiding from him.

* * *

><p><em>Amadeus is a stern, old man who has been the leader of the Seers for the past sixty years. He welcomed all Seers within Elysians borders to the Divine Order when they had nowhere else to turn. <em>

_After getting proper introductions out of the way, he took me to his office at the very top of the tower. I was immensely relieved to see some people along the way. _

_Amadeus told me that most of the Seers have departed for Sylvantia or the Temples of Ra scattered throughout Elysian for sanctuary and protection from the Emperor. Unfortunately, some of the younger and elderly Seers didn't make it past the city gates. Amadeus told me that they had been beheaded, and their heads have been placed in the city square and near the Divine Order as a lesson and warning to those who want to escape. The heads had been taken down just before I had left the palace and had thankfully been given a proper burial. _

_When Amadeus finished his story, I felt nauseated and angry for the way we were being treated. I asked Amadeus what he planned on doing now. _

"_Nothing,"__Amadeus __had __replied __heavily.__"We __must __wait __this __war __out __and __pray __to __Ra __that __we __will __still __be __alive __to __rejoice."_

_Though the war has not been going on for long yet, it must have felt like an eternity to the remaining Seers living in this now mostly empty tower. _

_I wanted to do something to stop the suffering of my people. The only way to do that was to stop this war in its tracks. _

_I'm stupid enough to think that I can do this on my own. I fully intend on getting help, and the help I need resides in this very tower. The problem was convincing the other Seers to help the very people that were causing them pain. _

Yuugi's eyes snapped up from the journal when the bed shift beneath him. He discreetly glanced out of the corner of his eyes to see Atemu adding another pillow to the already large pile.

"Atemu Faenor, if you put another pillow on this already monstrous pile, Elysian will be looking for another Emperor sooner than expected."

Atemu bowed his head, but Yuugi did not miss the smile, or the amusement flashing in the man's eyes. Fighting back a smile of his own, Yuugi closed Leon's journal before setting it aside to read later.

He had woken up in Atemu's bed earlier, surprised that he didn't feel that all too familiar headache he usually had when he had received a vision. Without waiting to be asked, he had divulged his vision to Atemu, Seto and Jou when they walked in minutes after he had woken up. He had told them of the dead or slowly dying woman in the arms of a man donning armor as blue as the ocean, of the man yelling at a person he hadn't been able to see, and of the mysterious man wearing the brown cloak.

It upset him that he couldn't help the woman in his vision. He had no idea who she was or even if she was in Elysian. This had been the second time that he had seen someone dying or dead in his vision. The first being his grandmother who he hadn't been able to help either because he had been too young to understand what he had thought to be dreams.

Yuugi jumped when he felt a hand grasp his own. He looked up to see Atemu staring down at him with an unreadable expression.

"There is nothing you can do," Atemu whispered. "I know that it is hard to see what you saw, but we have no idea where she is."

"I know that," Yuugi turned away from his fiancé's gaze, "but that doesn't mean that I don't feel horrible about it."

"We all do, Young One."

"What if…" Yuugi began softly. "What if King Crawford or King Dartz knows?"

"You think that they could identify the woman in your vision?"

"It's worth a shot, Atemu. I want to do all we can to try to help her."

Atemu sighed heavily. "Very well, but I insist that you ask Timaeus for any information."

"Why Timaeus?" Yuugi asked curiously. "Wouldn't I be better off asking, King Dartz or King Crawford?"

Atemu stared down at his fiancé and couldn't help but grimace at the open curiosity he saw in those amethyst eyes.

How could he possibly tell him that Timaeus' intentions towards him were less than innocent? And that despite what Timaeus was doing, he believed that the man was still the lesser of the two evils.

"Atemu?"

"I believe that Timaeus has a somewhat better connection to the people than King Dartz does. He might provide you with a better answer."

"And?"

"And what?"

Yuugi raised a single eyebrow at the man sitting next to him. "Surely you must have more to say about Timaeus than that."

"Other than to be careful, what more could I possibly have to say?"

Yuugi's lips pulled into a sly smile. "You are a possessive man, Atemu." He reached up to place two fingers on Atemu's lips when he began to protest. "You do an excellent job of keeping it under wraps, but it does occasionally slip through. You were jealous when Timaeus swept me away onto the dance floor."

"I was merely being cautious. It's completely different from being jealous."

"If you say so, Atemu." Yuugi grinned when Atemu muttered something under his breath. "I will try to catch Timaeus tomorrow and ask him about the vision."

"Do not forget that you begin your weapons training with Bakura tomorrow," Atemu reminded him. "I am sure Timaeus will be in the training quarters so you can kill two birds with one stone."

"How stern is Bakura going to be…?"

Wanting to get revenge for the jealousy comment, Atemu smirked at the smaller man. "Very strict. Some of his own men start to cry when he mentions the word "training."

For once, Atemu didn't feel guilty when Yuugi looked pale and slightly upset.

* * *

><p>Christina started down at the unopened letter that had just come via magical fire. Judging from the handwriting, she had no doubt that it was from her father.<p>

It was ridiculous that she was afraid to open a harmless piece of paper, but she did not want to know the content of what said paper read.

She knew that her father most likely wanted to know about what was going on in the Kingdom, and was curious as to how she was doing.

She was ashamed to admit that she had never been good at lying to her father, be it face to face or through a letter. He always seemed to know if something was amiss.

Taking a deep breath, she reached over to grab the paper and open it. Before she could read the first words, her door slowly creaked open.

"Hello?" She called out. When she received no answer, she reached for the spear that was standing against the wall.

The door opened further to reveal Hermos on the other side, looking pale and shaken up. Christina rose from her chair and made her way to the older man.

"Hermos! What has happened? You look so pale."

Hermos leaned against the door frame and looked up into the Princess' worried, blue eyes. His heart twisted when he thought that he would be the reason those eyes would widen in horror when he finished his report.

"Your Highness, we have a problem."

* * *

><p>End Chapter Twenty-One.<p> 


	22. Chapter 22

Valkyria : Hey guys, here's another chapter for all of you wonderful people to read. Enjoy the surprises and plot twists.

Disclaimer : I claim no rights to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh

Beta'd by : Moondalian.

**Current Song : Tales of Memories OST - Euphoric Night **

* * *

><p><em>"The plans and schemes of tyrants are broken by many things. They shatter against cliffs of heroic struggle. They rupture on reefs of open resistance. And they are slowly eroded, bit by little bit, on the very beaches where they measure triumph, by countless grains of sand. By the stubborn little decencies of humble little men." - Eric Flint<em> - _**In the Heart of Darkness**_

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Broken Ties.**

Yuugi flinched as the dagger bounced off the target for the twentieth time. He risked a glance at Bakura to see the Colonel wearing an irritated expression.

It had been two hours since he had begun his weapons training, and he had made absolutely no progress with his daggers. He knew that Bakura was getting more irritated with each failed attempt.

"That's your problem," Bakura spoke up suddenly, breaking his train of thought. "You lose focus far too easily."

Yuugi flushed with embarrassment and went to pick up another dagger. Bakura beat him to the punch. tossing the dagger into the air and catching it by the hilt with ease.

"You have to make sure your grip is secure, but not too tight," Bakura instructed gently, turning to the target. "I was hoping you would catch on yourself, but you lose focus too easily for my liking."

"I-I'm sorry."

Bakura patted him on the shoulder. "You've only just started today. I don't expect you to have become an expert by the time this lesson is over."

Bakura lifted his arm and threw the dagger into the dummy, hitting it in the head with deadly precision. He turned back to Yuugi and touched his wrist. "There are many things that I need to go over with you: grip, wrist angle, finger action, and the timing of release."

Bakura chuckled when he saw Yuugi's shoulders sag. "Don't despair, it's not as bad as it sounds."

Yuugi pulled his lips into a weak smile as he touched the daggers gently. "Are these your main weapons? You know so much about them."

Bakura shrugged his shoulders. "Daggers are very useful on the battlefield, especially if the enemy disarms you."

"No magic?"

"They won't give you the time to cast spells, or even consider using wild magic, so there are times where you can only rely on weapons. Unfortunately some of my soldiers refuse to take that fact to heart when we are training."

Yuugi titled his head to the side and gave Bakura a confused look. "You sound as though you're not too fond of magic, Colonel."

Bakura shrugged and picked up another dagger. "I have no problems with magic, but we sometimes rely too much on it. That's what worries me at times."

"It's not like magic is going to fade away,"

Bakura gently grabbed his hand and placed the dagger in the right position. "The Gods can take our magic away from us if they deem it necessary; they did so to the Sylvantians. What makes you think that they won't do it to the Elysians?"

"We have done nothing wrong to deserve such a punishment," Yuugi countered carefully.

"Sometimes you don't have to do anything for fate to screw you over." Bakura grabbed his arm and pulled it back. "Now, swing your arm forward and make sure to snap your wrist when you're arm becomes parallel with the target."

Yuugi forced his arm forward and released the dagger. He grinned when the dagger embedded itself in the dummy's chest, then groaned when it dropped to the floor with a distinct clang three seconds later.

"Good," Bakura praised.

"How was that good?" Yuugi asked curiously. "It didn't even stay in the dummy."

"No, it didn't," Bakura agreed with a grin that made Yuugi wary, "but at least it didn't bounce off like the other ones."

"… Has anyone told you that you're not in the least bit funny?"

Bakura threw his head back and roared with laughter. "I have been told that on occasion."

"Colonel Firimar!"

Bakura turned and frowned when one of his soldiers came barreling towards them. "What is it?"

The soldier saluted. "A fight broke out between our soldiers and Atlantis' we-"

"Where?" Bakura barked, cutting the soldier off viciously.

The soldier lowered his gaze to the ground. "The mage training room, sir."

"Idiots!" Bakura hissed dangerously. The Colonel turned to him with a grim frown. "Stay here, I will return soon,"

Bakura and the unnamed solider ran off before Yuugi had a chance to protest or ask to come along. He turned back to the targets and grimaced. He might as well keep practicing until the man returned.

Picking up another dagger, Yuugi threw it towards the target and watched it bounce off the training dummy moments later.

He fought off his disappointment and tried again, only to have the dagger hit the ground once again. He didn't understand why this was so hard. Was he throwing too hard? Was he letting go too early?

Regardless of his lack of success, he continued to try. As each dagger dropped to the ground, he made sure to adjust his grip and arm with every new throw.

Yuugi picked up the last dagger from the small table next to him, and threw it towards the dummy, grinning when it struck it in the chest.

"Nice throw," a low, throaty voice commented from behind him.

Yuugi whirled around to find Keith leaning against the wall, watching him with a dark smirk. Yuugi smiled tightly.

"Thank you. Is there something I can help you with, General Howard?"

Keith pushed himself off the wall and made his way over to Yuugi. "I am curious as to what makes you so special, Seer Yuugi."

Yuugi's eyes narrowed at the amusement and mockery he heard in the General's voice. "There is nothing in particular that makes me special."

Keith stepped closer and stopped when he was no more than a few inches away. "You don't honestly think that, do you? You have three of the world's most powerful monarchs bowing at your feet, one of whom you are currently engaged to, and you think you can tell me there is nothing special about you?"

"It is only because I am a Seer-"

Yuugi was cut off when Keith suddenly let out a loud bark of laughter. He honestly didn't see what was so amusing.

"Only a Seer?" Keith repeated mockingly. "I've never seen anyone with so much influence be so modest. It's almost as admirable as it is disgusting."

"I am sorry that you feel that way." Yuugi crossed his arms and gave the man a heated stare. "Do you have anything else to say?"

Keith stared past him and towards the training dummy that was surrounded by daggers. "I have nothing more to say, but I do have something I want to do."

Yuugi took a step back at those words. "What do you mean?"

Keith reached down into the pouch that was strapped to his leg and pulled out a small dagger. "I just want to see what you can do, that's all, Seer Yuugi."

Yuugi took another step back when Keith stepped closer. "Why are you doing this? What did I do to you?"

Keith gripped the dagger tightly and let a nasty smirk show. "You didn't do anything, _Little __One_! I just want to see what's so special about you, and that means testing what little skill with the dagger that you've mastered."

Yuugi felt his heart race as he started backing up, Keith coming closer and closer. He yelped as he lost his balance and landed on the floor.

"Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide," Keith whispered, raising the arm that was holding his dagger.

"Please… stop… stop…" Yuugi whimpered, staring up at the larger man with wet eyes.

Keith chuckled darkly. "Those beautiful, soulful eyes won't faze me, I'm afraid."

Yuugi closed his eyes tightly and turned his head away, praying for anyone to come stop this madman.

_I __don't __want __to __die!__I __want __to __live!__I __just __want __him __to __go __away __and __leave __me __alone__…__.!_

Several seconds ticked by before Yuugi pried his eyes open. He warily glanced up and saw that Keith was standing over him, holding the dagger with a menacing expression.

_What__…__.?_

Yuugi slowly rose to his feet and warily approached the larger man, who stood still as a statue. It was as if he had been frozen.

"Damned Atlantians, causing trouble…"

Yuugi whirled around to see Bakura walking towards him with quick strides. He quickly stepped back from Keith and lowered his gaze to the floor, calmly waiting for the Colonel to explode.

"What the hell?"

Bakura looked at Keith, then at him, then back at Keith. "What the hell happened here?"

"He tried to attack me," Yuugi explained, glancing up and flinching when he saw enraged reddish-brown eyes staring back at him.

Bakura cursed under his breath. He waved a hand in front of Keith's face and raised an eyebrow when he saw no reaction.

"What happened to him?" Bakura asked quietly.

"I-I don't know," Yuugi stepped closer and stared at the frozen man. "I closed my eyes when I thought he was going to stab me, and when I opened them again he was like this."

Bakura frowned thoughtfully and looked at Keith carefully before turning back to Yuugi with a grim look in his eyes.

"Congratulations."

"What?"

"Your magical ability has finally awakened." Bakura waved a hand at the frozen general. "I just wish that it would have been under different circumstances."

"I've never seen any kind of magical ability that freezes people like that," Yuugi said shakily.

"Of course you haven't," Bakura grumbled. "Time magic is one of the rare ones."

Yuugi stared at Keith's frozen body in shock and fear. "Y-You mean that I….?"

Bakura nodded at his unfinished words. "Exactly, you froze him with wild time magic it seems."

Yuugi took his eyes away from Keith's frozen body and took several deep shuddering breaths in an attempt to calm himself down. He didn't mean for this happen! He just wanted Keith to go away! He didn't mean to actually to freeze the man with wild time magic.

He allowed his eyes to drifted back to Keith and flinched harshly, he wondered if he could turn the man back to normal?

"Hey," Yuugi felt large hands on his shoulders and he looked up to see Bakura staring down at him with barely hidden concern. "Are you alright? You're as pale as a damned ghost."

"I..I didn't mean for this happen," he lowered his gaze to the ground. "I didn't mean to lash at him like that."

"I don't think you really had a choice in the matter," Bakura sighed heavily. "You were only defending yourself, you shouldn't feel guilty for trying to fight back against someone who's attacking you."

Yuugi gently pushed Bakura's hands off his shoulders and took a step back. "Is there a way to change him back?"

Bakura gave him an incredulous look that caused him to flush heavily. "No, not at the moment, and you shouldn't attempt to because time magic is too dangerous without proper training, and besides, he damn well deserves what happened to him."

"But...-"

"No buts," Bakura cut in firmly. "You can't do anything at the moment and I'm not going to allow you to."

Yuugi swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. "...This is going to cause us a lot more trouble, isn't it?"

Bakura ran a hand through his hair and cursed under his breath. "Yeah, it is. His Majesty is going to be extremely angry, and King Crawford isn't going to be too happy either."

Yuugi felt a cold, clammy hand wrap around his heart at the thought of Atemu being angry. He didn't want to face Atemu about this, he didn't want to tell the man that he had time magic, one of the most rare and dangerous abilities that someone could have. How was he going to look his fiance and tell him that he accidently froze General Howard with wild time magic?

How many more times was he going to cause trouble for the people around him?

* * *

><p>"Possessed…?" Christina repeated quietly, staring at Hermos with an intensity that was unlike her. "By what, exactly?"<p>

When Hermos had shown up at her office door looking worse for wear, Christina had felt her stomach twist into an anxious knot. She had been worried that the older man may have killed a good chunk of her father's elite guard, but she had quickly been proven wrong when Hermos had explained the situation to her. Critias had come only minute later and like Christina had predicted, Critias' face had morphed into an expression that was in between rage and worry when he had heard about what had happened.

At this point, she wouldn't put it past Critias to go storming into the elite guards' chambers to cut them down for what they had done to Hermos.

Hermos moved his head to the left as Critias tried to grip his jaw to see the damage Cayden had inflicted.

"Captain Cayden called them the Jewels of Orichalcos. Does that sound familiar to you, Your Highness?"

"Unfortunately," Christina replied heavily. She would never have thought that something as precious as those jewels could have gotten into their hands.

"What are these jewels of the Orichalcos?" Critias asked curiously. "I have never heard of them."

"The jewels of the Orichalcos are one of the physical manifestations that represent Leviathan in this realm. They were given to the royal family and are used as a very distant link that lets us use a very small fraction of Leviathan's power."

"So it is true what Cayden said, then?" Hermos asked. "They can increase your magical abilities?"

"It can also increase one's physical strength," Christina winced at the bruise that Hermos was sporting.

"If His Majesty's guard has these jewels, there is no telling who else has them," Critias spoke up solemnly.

"Could you communicate with Leviathan?" Hermos asked, wincing as Critias gripped his jaw and whispered a small healing spell.

"No, we must go to the holy chambers for that. Leviathan could never be that easily reached," Christina replied, she gave Hermos a curious look. "Where did they get them?"

"His Majesty graciously handed them over in return for their eternal devotion and loyalty." Hermos spat out.

"Those jewels were always somewhat dubious," Christina murmured, "but never in my wildest dreams would I have thought they could possess someone…"

"Your Highness," Critias began carefully, "have you thought about what I asked of you?"

Christina lowered her eyes to the practically unwritten letter to her father and felt her heart break. If her father's guards were truly possessed by Leviathan's power, then it wouldn't be too farfetched to think that he was as well.

It would definitely explain her father's recent behavior and sudden departure. A part of her was relieved at this news; at least she now knew that it was not her father doing this. However, it did not make her next move any easier to make.

"If I am to take the throne, it will spread panic throughout not only the city, but the surrounding islands that make up the rest of the kingdom as well. However, I am willing to take that risk."

"Your orders, Your Highness?" Critias asked softly.

"My father's elite guard is made up of fifty soldiers," Christina explained. "Hermos, take some of your best men and arrest them. Eliminate them if they resist too strongly. Critias, gather thirty of your best men and accompany me to the Heaven's Council chambers. They are to be thrown into the dungeons and interrogated thoroughly."

"Some of the soldiers under our command are fiercely loyal to King Dartz," Hermos spoke up quietly. "The Azure Palace will become Hell on Earth if they find out what you are doing. The threat of resistance is very present."

Christina rose from her seat and grabbed her white and gold spear. "It is a risk that I will have to take, but I have no doubt that we will be able to handle that. Are the both of you ready?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

* * *

><p>"King Crawford and I want nothing more than to strengthen the fragile peace that has existed between us for centuries now."<p>

Atemu clenched the armrest of his chair as he listened to Dartz drone on about their so-called 'fragile peace'. He wanted nothing more than to stand up and call the man out on his honey-coated lies.

There wasn't a single person sitting in this room that did not know of Dartz' true intentions, but no one - including himself - was willing to stand up and say the words that so desperately needed to be said.

"How would you suggest that we go about doing this, King Dartz?" Seto drawled.

Dartz waved his assistant over, who laid a long piece of paper on the large, circular table.

"This is called the Treaty of Alya, this treaty states that any citizen, whether they are from Sylvantia, Atlantis, or Elysium, will be safe when they visit any of our lands, amongst other things such as trade routes and the reopening of summoning magic researching facilities within Elysian."

Seto took the treaty and quickly scanned the agreements. There was one particular part of the treaty that caught his attention. "You want us to send Seer Yuugi to visit Atlantis and Sylvantia?"

"We feel as if our people also deserve to gaze upon Seer Yuugi," Pegasus chimed in smoothly. "We are also grateful for what the Seers have done."

"He is not some prize to be handed around," Mai snapped viciously.

"And he is not some precious treasure that is to be hidden away," Dartz countered sharply. He turned and met Atemu's gaze. "I feel that Seer Yuugi should experience cultures other than Elysian's."

"I agree," Yoshimori spoke up. "It would be frowned upon by the people if Seer Yuugi didn't have enough worldly experiences. Leon von Schroeder traveled the world before and after the war. "

Atemu brushed away Yoshimori's opinion and kept his gaze on Dartz. "I agree with you that my fiancé does need more worldly experiences, but there will be a time for that after we are married."

"Why wait?" Pegasus put in. "Seer Yuugi is welcome to come back with either of us once our time here is up."

Atemu's lips thinned with displeasure. "I thank the both of you for you offers, but I think it is better if Yuugi remains in Elysian for the time being. The people are quite fond of him, and would be disappointed if he were to depart to Sylvantia or Atlantis so soon."

"That is understandable," Pegasus quickly put in, seeing Dartz open his mouth to protest. "I sincerely hope that he will be able to visit our lands one day, Emperor Faenor."

Three knocks echoed throughout the conference room before their conversation could start again.

"Enter," Atemu called out.

The double doors creaked open and a flushed soldier briskly walked and bowed deeply. The soldier looked around and gave Atemu an uncertain look.

Atemu stood from his chair and made his way over to the soldier, who was fidgeting under the gazes of the council members and visiting kings.

"What is it?"

The soldier handed him a slip of paper and leaned closer, lowering his voice to a whisper, "A message from Colonel Firimar, Your Majesty."

Atemu forced down the dread that formed at the pit of his stomach. Messages from Bakura in circumstances such as these were never good. He opened the slip of paper and quickly scanned over the contents.

_Your __Majesty,_

_Seer __Yuugi __has __activated __his __magical __ability, __which __has __been __identified __as __the __power __of __time .__Unfortunately, __General __Howard __of __Sylvantia __was __the __one __to __activate __it __by __attempting __to __attack __Seer __Yuugi._

_I __ask __that __you __come __to __the __throne __room __immediately._

_Colonel __Bakura __Firimar._

Atemu calmly folded the paper back up and turned to Pegasus, who raised a questioning eyebrow.

"I apologize," Atemu spoke to the room in general, "but I'm afraid something has come up that needs the immediate attention of King Crawford and myself."

Pegasus rose from his chair without question and made his way to stand by Atemu's side.

"What is going on?" Mai asked, standing from her chair.

"Be calm, Lady Kujaku," Atemu soothed. "I will have this sorted out soon enough. For now, I ask that this meeting be adjourned until further notice."

Pegasus stopped once he was by his side and leaned in to his ear. "General Howard?"

"I expect him to be punished for his actions, King Crawford," Atemu hissed quietly, _"severely."_

* * *

><p><em>AN : Yuugi has finally activated his powers! Christina is going to start a civil war! What's going to happen next? Stay tuned!_


	23. Chapter 23

Valkyria : Hello! Another update for you lovely people! I hope you enjoy this story which has some action this time and I hope you guys won't get mad at me for one particular scene.

Disclaimer : I claim no rights to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh

Current Song : Dark Waltz by Hayley Westerna.

* * *

><p><em>"Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men. It is the spirit of the men who follow and of the man who leads that gains that victory." - George S. Patton. <em>

**Chapter Twenty-Three: Civil War**

"His Majesty will not blame you for what has happened, Bakura."

Bakura stopped his pacing to stare at Marik, who had taken to lying against the small steps that lead to the thrones, looking like a content lion that had just finished eating his prey. He wanted to strangle Marik for looking and acting so calm about this situation.

"You don't know that, Marik," Bakura countered harshly. "I was supposed to protect him. His Majesty trusted me with the Seer's safety."

"That he did," Marik agreed smoothly, "but was it your fault that fight broke out between the Atlantian soldiers and our own men? You couldn't have possibly known that this was going to happen."

"Of course I couldn't have known that this was going to happen!" Bakura snarled. "What I should've have known was that General Howard was going to pull something like this."

At the mention of Keith, Marik allowed his eyes to drift over to the frozen General, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of sadistic glee at the sight.

General Keith Howard was an impressive soldier and mage whose skills had even made someone like him wary. It was ironic that someone with so little magical training had stopped someone of Howard's caliber in his tracks.

Literally.

"General Howard is a coward for doing this," Marik remarked casually. "No doubt he will be punished severely for his actions."

"No punishment is good enough for him. Only death will suffice."

"Stay your bloodlust for the moment, Bakura," Marik ordered softly. "You must trust me when I say that he will get what he deserves."

Bakura didn't have a chance to respond to that because the double doors to the throne room creaked open and Atemu and King Crawford entered, wearing blank expressions.

Marik slid from his seat on the stairs and made his way to Bakura's side, frowning when he sees Bakura glaring at Pegasus. "Do not glare at King Crawford as if he has done something wrong, Bakura."

"He has," Bakura hissed dangerously. "He didn't train his dog of a General better."

Marik fought down his amusement at that statement as Atemu and King Crawford approached them. He and Bakura bowed their heads in greeting.

"General Aegnor. Colonel Firimar," Atemu acknowledged, "give us a report on what has happened."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Bakura replied. "I was giving Seer Yuugi weapons training when one of my men, Corporal Aster, came to me and said that a fight had broken out between our men and some Atlantian soldiers.

`I went to settle the dispute, and I assume that this was when General Howard showed up. With General Timaeus' help, I managed to break up the fight between our men, after which I made my way back to where Seer Yuugi was waiting.

`It was there that I discovered General Howard's frozen body with a knife in his hand, and Seer Yuugi standing nearby, looking pale and distraught."

"I trust that Yuugi was not harmed physically?" Atemu asked, allowing his eyes to drift to the frozen General.

"No, Your Majesty," Bakura replied solemnly, "but I escorted him to the infirmary nonetheless. It never hurts to have someone else take a look."

"Tell me," Pegasus spoke up curiously. "How did General Howard come to be in the state that he is in?"

Bakura opened his mouth to give the King a snarky remark, but quickly changed his mind as he saw Atemu giving him a warning look. "Under the stress of the situation, Seer Yuugi activated his magical ability and sent a bit of wild time magic towards the General."

"I see. It is what General Howard deserves for his actions, but I will see to it that he is punished severely for his actions today."

"See that you do, King Crawford." Atemu scowled at the frozen General. "I shall have the healers come and retrieve him."

"Place him in the dungeons after your healers are done with him, Emperor Faenor." Pegasus' lips pulled into a nasty smirk. "I will handle him shortly after."

"Very well, King Crawford."

"If you will excuse me? There are other matters I must attend to."

Atemu, Bakura and Marik watched as Pegasus gave Keith one last look of disapproval before walking out of the throne room without a backward glance.

Atemu turned to Bakura with a thoughtful frown. "How is Yuugi doing? Truly?"

"He is a bit shaken up, but I have no doubt that he will recover quickly enough." Bakura responded. "It is no true surprise that he wields the power of time, considering that his grandfather does as well."

"It is unfortunate how his powers came to be, Your Majesty," Marik spoke up, "but when Seer Yuugi completes his magical and weapons training, he will be a true force to be reckoned with."

"I am more concerned with Yuugi's safety than his abilities at the moment, Marik. When he recovers then, and only then, we will begin to address his abilities."

"What are we to do about this, Your Majesty?" Bakura asked, nodding his head towards Keith. "If this gets out, there will be chaos between Sylvantia's men and our own."

"Considering the fact that fights have already broken out between Atlantian solders and our own men, it will be only be a matter of time before the same thing occurs with Sylvantia, whether this gets out or not."

"Speaking of which," Marik gave Bakura a questioning look, "you never told us why that fight broke out. What happened to even cause it?"

"Apparently, some of our men overheard the soldiers of Atlantis saying that the Seer would be happier in their homeland, where he would be eternally praised and welcomed," Bakura replied, his tone heavy with sarcasm. "It amazes me how arrogant these Atlantians can be at times."

"Let them say what they want," Atemu said. "It matters little to me what soldiers with loose tongues say, but our own men must show more restraint than they have today."

"Your orders, Your Majesty?"

"For now, we will increase the patrols around the palace and start daily training regimens for soldiers and mages. No one is to miss a single session. Hopefully, that will keep them on a tight leash for the time being."

"What of the Sylvantian and Atlantian soldiers?"

"Dispatch your shadow unit and keep an eye on them for now, Bakura," Atemu ordered. "We can keep our own troops under control, but the Sylvantian and Atlantian soldiers are a different story."

"And if none of these tactics work, Your Majesty?" Marik inquired softly. "What if the Sylvantians and Atlantians keep pressing their King's orders? What are we to do if their commanders urge them on, leading us to war?"

Due to Leon's prophecy, Atemu knew that no matter what he did or said, he could not avoid going to war with Sylvantia or Atlantis. However, that did not mean that he wasn't going to try to prevent it.

He would do anything in his power to protect Yuugi and his lands from the horrors of war. He knew that if war was declared upon them and Yuugi reached the end of the journal to read that prophecy, his little one would fall into despair and blame himself for the countless lives that were going to be lost.

"We will do all that we can to stop a war from staining our homeland," Atemu murmured, "but if we are forced to go to war, we will not hesitate to respond."

* * *

><p>Yuugi tensed and tried not to pull away as Ishizu smoothed her hands over his arms and legs to make sure he hadn't been injured.<p>

"I'm fine, really," Yuugi jerked when Ishizu checked his shoulders and back. He cast a helpless look towards Ryou, only to have the apprentice healer shrug in apology.

"Nevertheless, I will check you over," Ishizu said firmly. "Are you sure that nothing is sore?"

"Nothing."

"What about your mental state?" Ishizu gently placed her finger on his temple. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," Yuugi lied. Truth be told, he still felt a bit shaken up about the whole matter, but it wasn't General Howard's assault on him that was upsetting him.

It was the fact that he had actually frozen the man in time. Of all the magic abilities his parents and grandparents could have blessed him with, he hadn't expected it to be time.

Sure, speeding up and slowing down time sounded pretty awesome, but he also knew the dangers of time magic. The stories Anzu had told him about time mages disappearing still sent shivers down his spine.

"Colonel Firimar informed me that you activated your magical abilities," Ishizu began casually. "How do you feel about that?"

"I feel fine." Yuugi swallowed and averted his eyes from Ishizu's intense green-blue eyes. "It was going to happen sooner or later."

"True," Ryou spoke up softly, rising from his seat and making his way over to them, "but that doesn't mean that you have to face it alone. Time magic is very dangerous and-"

"Ryou," Ishizu interrupted sharply, giving Yuugi a worried glance, "time magic does have a certain reputation, but-"

"People disappear if you can't control it," Yuugi cut in smoothly, trying to ignore his shaking hands and rapidly beating heart, though he was failing at it considerably. "Some mages grow old or revert to infants, and some cases state that it actually makes you disappear."

"We have instructors that can help you with that, Seer Yuugi." Ishizu gave him a smile that failed to reach her eyes. "And I am positive that His Majesty will be by your side as well."

Yuugi's heart twisted at the thought of Atemu going through something like this. He pushed the thought away for the time being and pulled his lips into a strained smile.

"If the both of you don't mind, I would like to be alone for a while."

Ryou and Ishizu traded looks, both of their eyes clearly reflecting worry before they turned back to Yuugi and nodded their heads.

Yuugi waited until he heard their footsteps fade away before lowering his head into his hands and letting out a shaky sigh. How was he going to break this to Atemu-? Scratch that, he probably already knew what had happened thanks to Bakura.

He was well aware that there weren't any known teachers left to teach time magic. Anzu had informed him of that fact a while back so it was obvious Ishizu and Ryou had been lying to comfort him.

But even though he was afraid of what might happen with his magic, he was curious about who exactly in his family had wielded time magic in the first place. His grandfather had never told him what kind of magic his parents had wielded, and he had never bothered to ask him about it. He'd always thought it didn't matter because he couldn't control or sense magic.

The only person left was his grandfather, but wouldn't he have mentioned it, even if Yuugi hadn't been able to wield magic back then? His grandfather wouldn't have kept something so dangerous a secret, would he? Especially not from him of all people, right?

The more he thought about it, the clearer it became to him.

"Seer Yuugi?"

Yuugi's head shot up and he met a single, curious gray eye. "General Timaeus?"

Timaeus stood before him wearing a simple, black, sleeveless tunic with gold armbands and tan trousers. The only thing wrong with this picture was the fact that Timaeus had bandages wrapped around his head and forearm.

"What happened to you?"

A flicker of irritation flashed across Timaeus' scarred features. "Some of my and Elysian's men decided that they wanted to start a fight."

"I knew Colonel Firimar went to handle that, but I had no idea that you were there as well. Are you okay? It looks like they banged you up pretty good."

Timaeus chuckled and made his way over, dragging a chair with him on his way. He placed the chair in front of the bed Yuugi was sitting on and sat down. "It would appear that they have. I am torn between being disappointment in myself for getting hurt, and being proud of my men for actually getting a few hits in."

Yuugi snorted in amusement at Timaeus' dry tone. "You should feel proud, General Timaeus. Obviously your soldiers are strong."

"Indeed I should," Timaeus murmured. "May I ask why you are here, Seer Yuugi?"

"Oh," Yuugi looked away at the barely hidden curiosity in Timaeus' eye, "I had an accident while training, that's all."

"You've started training already?" Timaeus leaned forward a little. "What weapon are you using?"

"Daggers."

"That is a good choice." Yuugi looked up to see Timaeus wearing an expression of approval. "With your height and weight, a light weapon like a dagger or a small crossbow would benefit you greatly."

Yuugi blinked slowly at Timaeus explanation. "Did you just call me short and weak?"

To his surprise, Timaeus grinned. "No, and if I implied that, I apologize, Seer Yuugi."

"Just call me Yuugi. That 'Seer Yuugi' or 'Seer Motou' stuff is starting to get a little tiring, and it can be a mouthful."

"As you wish, though I insist that you call me Timaeus, then."

"Alright, since we're both stuck here until Ishizu gives us permission to leave, can you tell me about Atlantis? What is it like there?"

"Atlantis," Timaeus began slowly, "is a mixture of technology and magic. You could almost say that they are brother and sister. It is nothing like Elysian, which thrives almost entirely on magic." Timaeus looked around. "When I first came here, the magic in the air literally knocked the breath out of me."

"Yes," Yuugi agreed, "it does take some time getting used to if you have not lived here your entire life. What differences other than that did you see?"

"It is more peaceful here," Timaeus replied with a small smile. "In Atlantis, there is much more noise and it is much more crowded since we have more districts there than here."

"We only have about four districts here. How many does Atlantis have?"

"Many that deal with magic, theater, business and technology." Timaeus sounded exhausted at the thought. "There are so many that we sometimes have to travel by canal to get there."

"It sounds like a very lively place," Yuugi murmured.

"Indeed it is." Timaeus leaned forward. "May I ask you something, Yuugi?"

"What is it?"

"Are you happy here, staying here in Elysian and being engaged to Emperor Faenor?"

"Yes, and No," Yuugi replied softly. "I'd never thought in my wildest dreams that I would be living here in the palace, let alone that I'd eventually become co-ruler of Elysian. I am worried that I will fail Atemu and the people. However, the fact that Atemu and the people believe in me has given me the courage not to run away from whatever my future might hold. I am nervous about marrying Atemu, but I know that all of my fears will eventually fade away. Elysian is my home and my heart, and I would never leave her. I am not at the level of happiness that I would like to be, but I know that I will be one day."

Timaeus lowered his gaze to the ground after Yuugi had finished his explanation. If Yuugi truly felt that way, why did his King want to take him away?

Obviously Yuugi wasn't being abused, and at the ball Yuugi had had his vision he'd seen Emperor Faenor was quite concerned about Yuugi's welfare. So why were they trying to take Yuugi away from here?

For the first time since becoming a soldier, he questioned his King's motives, and it wasn't a good feeling at all.

He looked up into Yuugi's eyes and saw a flicker of happiness as he finished speaking of Elysian and Emperor Faenor, and it was that look in Yuugi's eyes that made the decision for Timaeus.

Even if it meant defying his King's firm orders, he would no longer pursue Yuugi. He would not take him away from his home or the Emperor.

"Here, I want to give you something," Timaeus reached into the holster that was strapped to his thigh and brought out a small pouch. He placed it into Yuugi's waiting hands. "I hope that you will accept it."

Yuugi opened the pouch and released a sharp gasp. Inside the pouch was a silver necklace with a five-pointed pendant at the end that was made of amethysts and diamonds. He looked at Timaeus and shook his head wildly.

"I- I can't take this, Timaeus. I-" he stopped when Timaeus raised his hand and gave him a small grin that failed to reach his eye.

"Please," Timaeus pleaded. He reached up and touched the necklace. "It is a gift between friends." He looked uncertain for a moment. "We are friends, correct?"

"Yes," Yuugi replied firmly, "friends." He set the necklace down on his lap. "Do you mind if I ask you something, Timaeus?"

"Anything."

"I want to tell you about the vision I had the other day, and I want to ask if you recognize the people I saw."

"I will try."

"Thank you. In my vision, there was a man wearing blue armor, and he was holding a pale-skinned woman with dark brown hair in a white dress. The woman was heavily injured and possibly dying. I could not be sure, though."

Timaeus felt a cold hand wrap around his heart at the description. "This man, did he have blond hair and blue-gray eyes?"

Yuugi frowned. "I saw a lock of blond hair peaking out from beneath his helmet, but I couldn't see his eyes too well. It sounds like you recognize the man, but what about the woman?"

Timaeus shook his head. "I apologize, but I can't remember who looks like that. The only brunette that I am familiar with other than my soldiers and mages, is Her Royal Highness Princess Christina, but I highly doubt that it could've been her. The man that you described is most likely General Critias; one of the three commanders to Atlantis' Holy Forces."

"I see." Yuugi sighed heavily. "I am worried about that woman. My visions don't exactly have a solid timeline, you see. The events could happen days or even hours after I've had it."

Timaeus rose from his chair and patted him on the shoulder. "If it would make you feel better, I will contact General Critias and ask him if there has been any suspicious activity as of late." He shrugged. "There is a very good chance you have saved Critias' life."

"I hope that I will save the woman's life as well, Timaeus."

* * *

><p>"What is the meaning of this?"<p>

Christina pressed the tip of her spear against Alistair's robe and pushed it aside. There, sitting on the pale man's chest, was a more refined Jewel of the Orichalcos. Christina moved her spear to Alistair's neck and smirked when the councilman gulped.

"As of today, you are no longer the leader of the Council of Heavens."

"On who's authority?" Alistair roared furiously.

"Mine." Christina took her eyes off Alistair and looked over at the conference table where the rest of the council sat. "Not only will Alistair lose his seat on the council, so will the rest of you."

"You have no authority to do this, Princess Christina," Alistair spat. "The King will hear of this."

"And who will the King hear it from?" Critias drawled, entering the room with thirty soldiers behind him. "What makes you think you'll be leaving this room alive, Alistair?"

"Why are you doing this, Princess Christina?" Freya asked from her seat. "We have done nothing for you to cast judgment upon us."

"You have done nothing? Surely you jest, Lady Freya," Christina mocked. She moved her spear down to Alistair's chest before staring the man in the eyes. "That Jewel of the Orichalcos was a present from my father, correct? You know what those jewels are capable of, Alistair."

"Indeed I do," Alistair replied, sounding smug even with the tip of a spear pressed against his chest, "but these jewels are a true blessing from Leviathan himself. I am truly honored to wear one; we all are."

"There is no honor in this!" Critias snapped. "Leviathan is leading us to the brink of war with his orders. Tell me, where will he be when Atlantis is in ruin because of it!"

"Even if Atlantis collapses, we shall always follow his will," Alistair stated firmly. "Leviathan has given us the gift of magic and of summoning. He has given us the gift of life itself! If this is the only way we can repay him, then we will do so."

"His will shall not be followed today, Alistair," Christina said solemnly. "Guards, arrest them and take them down into the dungeons."

Christina shivered when she suddenly felt a burst of magic. She looked up to see Freya standing up with a glowing staff in her hands. She turned to the guards. "Stop her before she finishes the spell!"

Freya raised the glowing, wooden staff into the air before slamming it back onto the floor, simultaneously releasing a burst of dark, shadow magic.

The moment the room descended into darkness, Christina felt her spear be torn from her hands, a strong hand grasping her arm with an unyielding grip.

"I am sure that I will be executed for this, but I will gladly die for Leviathan."

Christina gasped as she felt the sharp pain of a dagger sliding into her stomach. She stumbled back before her legs gave out, making her collapse to the ground.

Despite the pain she was in, Christina still heard footsteps approach her and Alistair's voice drift over her. "I am truly sorry about this, Your Highness."

With all her heart and whatever strength that lingered, Christina wished to get up and return the pain she felt in spades.

The light returned to the room and Christina felt her body being lifted up. This time it was Critias' worried voice that drifted over her.

"Your Highness!" Critias held the Princess closer and looked up at Alistair, who was standing a few feet away with a bloodstained dagger in one of his hands. "What have you done?"

Alistair dropped the dagger to the floor. "I did what was needed, General Critias. I am sure that His Majesty will forgive me."

"I find that very unlikely." Critias hissed. He held Christina closer to his body. He had to get her out of this room and to the infirmary before she bled to death. "Guards! Take them now! Do not fail me again!"

Ten of the guards rushed into the room and surrounded the former council members before they could utter a spell or draw a weapon that was possibly hidden within their robes.

He lifted Christina off the ground and into his arms, and turned to the nearest guard who wasn't taking care of the council. "I leave you in command for now. Take them to the dungeon and put up anti-magical barriers around their cells. I do not want them to escape."

"Yes, commander."

Critias turned and walked out of the room with Christina in his arms. "It is alright, Your Highness. You're going to be just fine."

He desperately wished that he felt as confident as he sounded.

* * *

><p>Hermos managed to duck just in time as a ball of fire came his way. He plunged his sword into the elite knight before pulling it out and knocking the soldier to the ground.<p>

He looked around and flinched at the sight. The hallways leading to the elite guard chambers were practically in ruins. Men from his and Cayden's units were on the ground, cold and unmoving. Scorch marks and cracks from fire and lightning magic littered on the once smooth, blue walls. The marble floors had been flooded and then frozen.

Like he had predicted, the Azure Palace had turned into a war zone. He had taken a number of his own men to the elite guards' chambers and had asked them to lay down their weapons and come peacefully to the dungeons. He should have known better than to assume that Cayden and his men would come peacefully.

"Hermos!"

Hermos turned to see Cayden charging towards him with a blood-stained blade. He lifted his own sword to parry Cayden's attack before stepping back several steps.

"How dare you?" Cayden roared, charging at him again. "How dare you kill my men like lamb to a slaughter!"

"Come peacefully or be eliminated!" Hermos made a downward slash with his blade, only managing to nick Cayden's arm. "Those are my orders, Cayden."

"We have done nothing wrong to for this judgment to pass upon us." Hermos watched cautiously as Cayden's eyes and body began to glow a bright blue. "We have only pledged our eternal loyalty to our King and God. Tell me, Hermos, is that a sin?"

Hermos gripped the hilt of his sword tightly and made no move to advance. He knew the beginnings of a summoning when he saw one, and once one had started it was impossible to stop because of the impenetrable barrier that surrounded the summoner. He had no choice but to stand his ground and wait.

"It is no sin to pledge your loyalty to a God and a King, Cayden," Hermos spoke over the fighting that was going on around them, "but to allow this war to transgress on purpose and allow the blood of thousands to be spilt, _that _is a sin!"

Cayden gave him a sad smile and stretched his arm out. "Those sacrifices will not be made in vain, dear heart, and neither will yours."

"**_Rise _****_from _****_the _****_flames _****_of _****_the _****_sun _****_and _****_dispose _****_of _****_the _****_one _****_that _****_stands _****_before _****_me. _****_Come _****_to _****_me, _****_Solar _****_Flare _****_Dragon!"_**

Hermos took a step back as a large, orange, circular glyph appeared before Cayden's outstretched arms. His grip on his sword became tighter as a flame-covered, two-horned dragon broke through the glyph with a satisfied roar.

_"A__ngelus? I need your assistance!" _Hermos took another step back as the dragon advanced_. "Now would perfect." _

_**"I apologize, Hermos," Angelus replied, his voice was breathless and tinged with anger. "I am detained for the moment. Can you will handle it on your own for now?" **_

___"I'm going to have to handle it, and try not to get killed with whatever has you occupied." _

_**"The same goes for you," **_

"_Well," _Hermos thought cynically as he watched the dragon stomp towards him. _"It __couldn't __possibly __get __any __worse __than __this."_

* * *

><p>Atemu swept Yuugi up into his arms the moment he had fully entered his chambers. "Are you alright, Yuugi?" Atemu set him down and started to look him over carefully. "General Howard didn't touch you, did he?"<p>

"No," Yuugi gently pushed Atemu's incessant hands away from him, "I am fine, really,"

"That is pleasing to hear," Atemu firmly but gently guided Yuugi to the bed. "I am sorry that I couldn't come for you sooner."

"It's okay." Yuugi sat on the bed and played with the silk sheets. "I know you were busy with meetings-"

"That is no excuse," Atemu interrupted sharply. He quickly lowered his voice when he saw Yuugi flinch. "I still should have been there. I am sorry, Young One."

"What are you apologizing for?" Yuugi whispered in a pained voice. "I should be the one to apologize."

Atemu stepped closer and sank onto the bed next to Yuugi. "Apologize? For what?"

"For all of the trouble that I've caused." Yuugi shook his head before Atemu could protest. "I froze General Howard, and with time magic of all things." He looked up at Atemu anxiously. "Who is going to teach me how to control this? There are no known time mages left."

"Firstly," Atemu began firmly, "you have nothing to apologize for because none of this is your fault. Don't even think about going down that path of self-blame. Secondly, there is one other time mage left."

Yuugi had a good guess as to who it was, but asked anyway, "Who would that be?"

Atemu gave him an apologetic look. "Your grandfather."

Yuugi let out a pained laugh that twisted Atemu's heart. "I had a feeling you would say that."

"I'm sorry, Yuugi."

"Don't be." Yuugi shook his head. "I was thinking about it while I was in the infirmary and it had to be either my parents or grandparents. I heard that it is possible to gain a different type of magic instead of inheriting the same ones as your parents, but I doubted that was the case with me. I guess it was grandpa who put that seal on me as well." He frowned for a moment. "How do you know he's a time mage anyway?" Yuugi asked curiously. "I've never seen the both of you talk to each other except for that time I came to the palace."

"I contacted him before I proposed to you," Atemu confessed softly. "I wanted his blessing before I asked for your hand. During the conversation your magical abilities came up, and it was then that he confessed that he was a time mage."

"So you knew?" Yuugi asked with a hurt expression that made him want to reach out and pull Yuugi into his arms. "You knew that there was a possibility that I was a time mage?"

"Yuugi-"

"Did you know about the seal as well?" Yuugi rose from the bed and backed away when Atemu tried to reach out for him. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I-"

"I wonder what else you and grandpa or anyone else is hiding from me!"

"It was for your own good!" Atemu reached forward and pulled Yuugi into his arms. "Time magic is dangerous and your grandfather only wanted to keep you safe!"

"What about you?" Yuugi struggled in Atemu's arms for a moment before giving up. "What reason did you have for not telling me?"

Atemu froze at the question and slowly released Yuugi. "You had so much on your plate already, and I didn't want to burden you further with this." He looked into Yuugi's eyes and smiled sadly at the mixture of fear, anger and sadness he saw. "I can only imagine what you are feeling right now, and the only thing I can say is that I am sorry I hid this from you."

Yuugi's shoulders started to shake and Atemu reached forwards to pull him back into his arms again. "I'm sorry, Young One, I'm so sorry."

"What's going to happen now?"

Atemu flinched at how emotionless Yuugi sounded. "I will send for your grandfather so that he can teach you how to control your powers. It's going to be okay, Young One."

"I know, Atemu."

Atemu held Yuugi tighter and fought down the feeling of guilt at the fact that he was still hiding Sugoroku's illness from him.

He only hoped that Yuugi would forgive him one day.


	24. Chapter 24

Valkyria : Hello everyone! Here's another chapter of Emperor's Prophecy for you all to enjoy.

Disclaimer: I claim no rights to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh

Beta'd by : Moondalian.

Current Song : ODIN SPHERE Theme by Noriko Kawahara.

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><p><em>"Loyalty means nothing unless it has at its heart the absolute principle of self-sacrifice." - Woodrow Wilson <em>

**Chapter Twenty-Four: Collapse.**

By the time Critias had reached the infirmary on the first floor, Princess Christina was deathly pale from the rapid blood loss and had become unresponsive to the worried calls of her name.

The head healer, Braham, took one look at them before firmly ordering him to lay the younger woman on the bed. He was roughly pushed away as Braham and several of his assistants cut off the blood-stained dress from Christina's body and started to clean the wound.

The shouts of the head healer faded away as Critias found himself looking down at his blood-stained armor. How could all of their plans have gone so wrong? How could he have let this happen to the only hope Atlantis had left? He clenched his fists and let them fall back to his side.

This had been a mistake and he should have never let the Princess get in harm's way.

Critias forced his eyes to look at the bed where Princess Christina was lying to see her still as stone, the green glow of healing magic surrounding her. He forced his eyes away from the horrid sight. He didn't want to see her in the state she was in now, so cold and lifeless.

"Master Braham! She's losing too much blood!"

Hearing how panicked the lesser healer sounded, Critias' feet moved of their own accord and he soon found himself by the Princess' side.

"Your Highness!"

Braham gave him one look before turning to one of the guards, who was watching them anxiously. "Take your Commander out of here, soldier!"

Critias felt himself being pulled away roughly. He angrily glanced over his shoulder to see who the culprit was. "Release me! Now!"

The soldier, most likely a private, lowered his gaze, but made no move to release his arm. "I'm sorry, Commander, but Master Braham is right. There is nothing we can do for Her Highness right now. We are soldiers, not healers."

"I was supposed to protect her!" Critias roared furiously. He struggled against the younger soldier's grasp. "Release me, damn you!"

Another guard came and grabbed his other arm. "Please stay calm, Commander!"

"If she dies…!"

"Then the fault is all of ours!" the private, Jason, cried out. "We are charged with the royal family's protection and if she dies, it is every soldier's fault commander, not just yours!"

The private's words were like a slap to his face. He stopped struggling and fell to his knees. He hadn't wanted this to happen. He'd wanted to help the Princess prevent a war, but not at the cost of her life.

Jason placed a hand on his blood-stained armor. "We have hope she'll survive-"

"The blood flow is slowing down, Master Braham!"

Critias' head shot up and he internally rejoiced when he saw Princess Christina's skin slowly starting to regain its color. He would reprimand her later for worrying him and almost giving him a damned heart attack.

"Her Highness isn't in the clear yet," Braham announced firmly. "The three of you are dismissed for now; I need fresh healers to finish this up."

"Yes, Master Braham."

Knowing that the worst of it was over, Critias turned to the soldiers still restraining him. "The both of you may release me now. I believe that my somewhat embarrassing display is over now."

"You're not going to go crazy again are you, Commander?" Jason asked shakily. Critias did not miss the faint amusement in the question as they slowly released him from their grasp.

"No." Critias rose from the floor and rubbed his shoulder. "Now that I know the worst of it is over, I can go and help Hermos with his little problem."

Jason and the other private moved to his front and stared at him with determination in their young eyes. "Do you need any help, Commander? We don't know the situation, but we would be glad to lend a hand."

Critias shook his head solemnly, though he was secretly proud of their loyalty. "I need the both of you here to guard Her Highness until I return." He stared both of them in the eyes. "Can you do that for me?"

Both of the younger soldiers snapped to attention and gave him a sharp salute. "Yes, Commander."

Critias returned the salute with one of his own. "I am counting on the both of you. Do not let me or Atlantis down."

He gave Princess Christina one last worried glance before turning on his heels and leaving the infirmary to find Hermos. He prayed that the younger man was still alive. He'd almost lost Princess Christina. He didn't know what the loss of Hermos would do to his sanity.

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><p>Hermos let out a painful grunt as the Solar Flare Dragon's tail hit him in the abdomen, causing him to fly into the nearest wall.<p>

"Give up, Hermos!" Cayden called out from behind the dragon. "Do you really think you can beat this fearsome beast?"

"No," Hermos hissed from the pain in his stomach as he rose to his feet, "but I'm sure as hell going to try."

Hermos shook his head to get rid of his blurry sight. Even though his helmet had absorbed the brunt of the hit, there was still a possibility that he had a concussion.

"Why don't you put your pet dragon away, Cayden?" Hermos called out mockingly, pointing his sword at the man. "Or do you think you can't defeat me without it?"

"I'm pretty sure that I can defeat you with and without my friend here!" Cayden chuckled darkly, waving the dragon forward. "Watching you fight for your life is just much more entertaining."

"You know," Hermos cried, narrowly avoiding the dragon's large tail again, "for someone who's lusting after me, you sure aren't increasing your chances!"

Cayden threw his head back and let out a roaring laugh. "You've killed my precious men, dear heart! That lust no longer exists!"

"I have my orders, Cayden!"

"And so do I," Cayden shot back, a dark, malicious grin appeared on his face as he turned to his dragon. "Finish him off! I must inform the King of what has transgressed here today."

Hermos quickly threw up a light shield when the dragon took a deep breath and blasted him with fire. He strengthened his shield slightly as the fire dragon took another breath and fired again.

"How long do you think you can hold up that shield?" Cayden taunted over the sound of the roaring flames. "You probably won't admit it, but you're completely exhausted from all the fighting you've been doing, and if I remember correctly, dear heart, magic and exhaustion don't mix too well."

Hermos cursed loudly as he saw his shield starting to crack. He forced his exhausted magical system to push out another wave of light magic to repair the crack, and felt a shiver run down his spine as it only repaired a small amount of the damage.

Being burnt to a crisp wasn't the way he wanted to go…

"**_Take _****_thy _****_away! _****_Take _****_this _****_beast _****_to _****_the _****_void's _****_cradle! _****_Disintegrate!"_**

Hermos watched in horror and relief as the Solar Flare Dragon abruptly stopped its attack and slowly broke into tiny particles with an agonized roar that almost made his ears bleed. Hermos met Cayden's gaze and saw the horror and surprise reflected in them. The leader of the elite guard growled and stumbled backwards.

Hermos glanced from the corner of his eye to see Critias standing a few feet behind him, one of his palms raised and looking like the dangerous and calculating man he was known as. His eyes drifted down to see blood-stains on the once pristine, blue armor. He opened his mouth to ask what had happened when Cayden's angered voice echoed throughout the halls.

"Dragon Mage Critias," Cayden greeted with a sneer, "how nice of you to join us here, here to rescue your _beloved_, Hermos?"

"Yes, and is that jealousy I hear in your voice, Cayden? There is no need to be a sore loser about the fact that you absolutely had no chance with him." Hermos grinned and flushed at the remark. He was happy to see his friend in good health. He blinked when Critias came to a stop a next to him and laid a gloved hand on his light shield.

"Are you well, Hermos?"

Arms shaking with exhaustion and pain, Hermos dissipated the light shield and lowered his arms to his side. He chuckled at the obvious worry he saw in Critias' eyes. It would be best if he gave the man a quick answer, lest it be shaken out of him.

"I'm fine, and you have impeccable timing as always, my dear Critias." He glanced at the blood stains on the man's armor. "What happened to you? Have you been injured?"

"I'll explain later," Hermos replied tightly. Unsheathing his blade, he pointed it at Cayden. "Let's get him out of the way, shall we?"

Cayden spread his arms and took a step back. "Do you honestly think that you two can take me on? If I can handle one General with ease, two isn't going to be a problem either! Don't forget that I can summon as much as I want! And I'll have plenty of magic for incantations left after that!"

"You forget my powers as a dragon mage, Cayden." Hermos stumbled back a step when Critias gently pushed him behind him. "I can destroy your beasts just as quickly as you can summon them."

"How long do you think you can keep it up though?" Cayden began to glow a bright green. "I know the limits of the dragon mages, and continuously banishing my beasts will eventually take its toll on you."

"You'll be dead long before that happens," Hermos called out confidently. Drawing his sword, he waited for another summon to arrive. With Critias at his side now, there was no doubt that they could beat whatever beast Cayden brought forth.

"We'll see about that! _**Come **__**to **__**me **__**my **__**gallant **__**warrior! **__**Gaia, **__**the **__**Fierce **__**Knight**__!"_

"Are you ready, Hermos?" Critias asked him, keeping his eyes on the green, circular glyph. "After we get this one out of the way, we cannot stop attacking Cayden, understood?"

Hermos lifted his blade again despite the ache he felt in his entire body. "Understood."

The loud neigh of a horse alerted both men to the summon's arrival. Gaia sat on top of a violet stallion, donning blue and red armor and carrying a spear in his hand, ready to attack at a moment's notice.

"Go, my knight!" Cayden ordered with a sadistic grin. "Extinguish their lives!"

Hermos and Critias charged without a second thought.

* * *

><p>"Magic lessons require some kind of communication, my boy. We can't go over what you need to know in silence."<p>

"You can always write it down so Atemu can teach me," Yuugi countered harshly. He immediately regretted his words when he saw the hurt look his grandfather gave him.

His grandfather had been extremely happy to see him when he had arrived at the palace several hours earlier, but any happiness the older man had felt had been thrown out of the window as soon as Yuugi had lashed out at him about sealing his magic away.

His grandfather had apologized several times and had told him, "It was for your own good, my boy." He was tired of hearing that excuse, though, and had told his grandfather exactly that.

"I know you are angry with me," Sugoroku sounded weary, and his heart wrenched at the sound of it, "but, we have to get your time magic under control. You have to let me help you-"

"I don't have to do anything," Yuugi cut in harshly. "I would've already had this under control if you hadn't sealed it away." He turned away when his grandfather opened his mouth to protest. "And don't say it was for my own good."

"I just wanted to keep you safe, my boy…"

Yuugi's shoulders slumped in defeat at how small his grandfather sounded. It seemed that no matter what the older man did, he could never stay mad at him for long, even if he did deserve it.

"I know, but you couldn't have protected me forever." He made his way over to the older man and laid a hand on his shoulder. "This was going to come to light sooner or later, grandpa."

Sugoroku reached up, placed his hand on top of Yuugi's, and gave it a tight squeeze. "I know, but I had to try. You are the only family that I have left."

His throat tight, Yuugi wrapped his arms around his grandfather. "I know, and I'll forgive you if you never lie to me again, or keep any more secrets from me, okay?"

His grandfather returned his embrace and Yuugi frowned thoughtfully at how tightly - how desperately - the hug was. He hugged his grandfather tighter when he heard the whispered promise.

"No more secrets from now on, my boy."

Yuugi pulled away to stare the older man in the eyes. "Let's get started on the time magic now."

Sugoroku cleared his throat briefly before motioning for him to sit down in the chair. "You know about the effects of time magic, yes?"

"I've heard rumors." Yuugi shrugged helplessly when his grandfather gave him an amused look. "About the whole disappearing act when you lose control."

"That can happen, yes." Sugoroku winced lightly. "However, as long as you have proper control that won't happen. Now, with time magic you can accomplish many things."

"Such as?"

Sugoroku gave him a mischievous smile. "Well, you can slow down or speed up time, warp, travel into alternate timelines, or freeze someone in place."

Yuugi flinched as his grandfather listed the last one. If he had his way, he wouldn't be freezing anyone like he had Keith anytime in the near future.

"…begin, shall we?"

"Huh?"

Sugoroku gave him a chiding look that caused him to flush. "I said, let's began, shall we?"

"Oh yes, of course."

Sugoroku went over to a table that held a tea set. "Our first lesson will be warping." He waved him over. "Come closer now. You can't learn from all the way over there, now can you?"

Yuugi reluctantly made his way over to his grandfather and touched the tea set once he was close enough. "How are we going to do this?"

Sugoroku grabbed his hand and placed it just above one of the tea cups. "Mentality is one of the important aspects of time magic, and a bit of imagination doesn't hurt either." He smiled and released Yuugi's hand. "You just have to will it away."

"Will it away?"

"Yes, just concentrate your magical energy - as little as possible - and will the tea cup away."

"Won't warping it take it somewhere else?" Yuugi asked curiously. "Where am I supposed to will it to, exactly?"

Sugoroku looked around and nodded towards the balcony rail. "Out there seems like a good distance. Now, close your eyes and concentrate."

Yuugi closed his eyes and took a deep, steadying breath. He let the magic pour out of him, and imagined the cup disappearing from the table and reappearing on the balcony rail.

His grandfather's sudden laughter caused him to open his eyes. "What's so funny?" He looked down to see that the cup was gone. He quickly turned around to see it sitting innocently on the balcony rail.

"You have talent, my boy," Sugoroku praised, the pride in his voice obvious. "You will make a fine time mage one day."

"I was just lucky, that's all." Yuugi flushed lightly at the praise. He turned back to the tea set. "Shall we keep going?"

"Of course, we've only just started, my boy!"

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><p>"Forgive me, Your Majesty-"<p>

"Be silent, you fool!"

Keith lowered his gaze back to the floor and restrained himself from throttling his King. He had woken up in the dungeons, alone. He had banged on the door, demanding to be let out, only to be ordered to remain quiet and to wait for his King to deal with his punishment.

Soon enough, King Crawford had arrived and had immediately started to yell at him for what he had done to Seer Yuugi, and about how what a difficult position he had put them in.

As if he gave a damn.

He had known his actions would most likely push them towards war even earlier than Dartz was planning to, but again, he couldn't care less what either King's plans were. As long as he claimed the throne to Sylvantia at the conclusion of this upcoming war.

"You will be punished for what you did here, General Howard," Pegasus continued ruthlessly. "I will be sure to administer it myself once we return to Sylvantia, but for now you will remain in here where you can do no more harm."

Keith bit back a growl at that order. "Your Majesty-"

"Silence!" Pegasus barked harshly. "You will do as I say and remain here, General. I will not have you destroy Dartz' plans with your foolishness. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Pegasus took a deep breath. "Believe me when I say I would like nothing more than to hand you over to Emperor Faenor so that he can handle your punishment, but you are my problem to deal with and I will see to it that this is handled accordingly."

"If I may speak, Your Majesty?"

"You may."

"What will my punishment be once we return back home?"

"Fifty lashes and a year on outer border guard duty if you survive the war that is more than likely to happen at this point. If you make any further moves without my orders your lashes will be upped to eighty and you will be demoted to Lieutenant-Colonel. I am sure that Panic will be more than happy to take over our forces as Commander."

Keith lowered his head and seethed. "I will take my punishment as you seem fit, Your Majesty."

"I know that you will, General. You have no choice in the matter." Pegasus turned on his heels and made his way to the door. "Keep my words in your thoughts, General, for I will no longer take your recklessness lightly."

Keith waited until the door closed before slamming his fist against the wall, destroying the fire and lightning runes embedded into it. He could not wait for the day he saw Pegasus on his knees, begging and pleading for his life.

He licked his lips at the image. He would behead Pegasus and convince the council that the man's last words were for him to rule Sylvantia and care for Queen Crawford in his stead. Once he had been crowned, he would make Queen Crawford his wife and pass her around as he saw fit.

He only needed to be patient and wait for the moment to strike.

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><p>"I am sure that they are doing well, Timaeus." Dartz leaned back against his chair and stared at the General through half-lidded eyes. "You should be more concerned with your courtship of the Seer. How are you doing with that?"<p>

"Everything is going according to plan, Your Majesty," Timaeus replied, keeping his eyes lowered to the black carpet of the office. "I have given him his latest present and we plan on taking a walk through the gardens on the morrow."

"Excellent, and what gift did you bestow him with?"

"A necklace, Your Majesty. A beautiful amethyst and diamond necklace that goes well with his skin and matches his eyes."

Dartz chuckled deeply at the description. "I had no idea that you were such a poetic man, Timaeus."

"If I must tame the Seer's heart, I must learn to put aside the man that is a soldier, and bring out the man who can care for the Seer like the treasure he is."

"You have grown fond of him?" Dartz raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "So quickly?"

Timaeus gritted his teeth at the doubtful tone in his King's voice. He had only meant to come in here and write a quick letter to Critias. Instead he had found his King sitting behind his desk with a thoughtful expression.

He had reluctantly explained Yuugi's vision and his own worries, only to have them be brushed away as though they were the worries of a child. It displeased him to think his King thought so little of his opinion.

"Yes," Timaeus lied smoothly, "he is quite the beauty, you see. I would be truly honored if he were to become my husband, Your Majesty. I have the social standing of a Duke and I have more than enough funds to keep him happy."

"Critias always said that you were an ambitious and honorable man, Timaeus." Dartz chuckled. "I truly believe his words now. Very well, I will allow you to take the Seer's hand in marriage."

"I thank you, Your Majesty."

"No thanks are needed, Timaeus." Dartz looked down at a blank piece of paper. "If you would excuse me? I want to write a letter to my daughter-" he stopped when the magical fire next to him flared up for a moment to spit out a piece of paper. Dartz caught it before it landed on the desk.

"Is it from Her Highness?"

Dartz' eyes narrowed as he flipped the paper around and spotted a large, red smudge on the back. He kept any guesses as to who the blood it was from to himself as he opened the paper.

_Princess.__Rebellion.__Return I__mmediately._

"Your Majesty?" Timaeus questioned warily, seeing the blank expression on the King's face. "Is the news bad? Is Atlantis in danger?"

Dartz tossed the paper on the desk and calmly rose from the chair to stare Timaeus directly in the eye. "Something has happened in Atlantis, Timaeus. I'm afraid that our time here is up."

Restraining himself from asking any further questions, Timaeus bowed his head. "I understand, Your Majesty."

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><p>Yuugi begins his time magic lessons, Keith is finally showing his insane side, and Dartz is finished playing around! See you guys next chapter.<p> 


	25. Chapter 25

Valkyria : Update on Christmas Eve! So, I guess you guys can consider this a Christmas present from me, eh?

Griever : We'll let you guys read now, okay? and we have passed the four-hundred review mark so, THANKS SO MUCH GUYS, YOU ROCK!

Disclaimer : I claim no rights to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh!

Beta'd by : Moondalian.

**Current Song : Eternal Reflection by Nujabes. **

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><p><strong><strong>_"Change is not made without inconvenience, even worse to better." - Richard Hooker _

**Chapter Twenty-Five: Ultimatum.**

"Atemu?"

Yuugi looked around his fiancé's chamber and frowned when he saw that Atemu was nowhere in sight. He and his grandfather had taken a short break after having practiced his time magic for what seemed like hours. He'd wanted to come and talk to Atemu for a while to pass the time, but it seemed like Atemu was nowhere to be found.

He turned to leave and look elsewhere, but stopped as the sight of the open balcony doors at the back of the room caught his attention. Maybe Atemu was on the balcony?

Figuring one look wouldn't hurt, Yuugi made his way over to the balcony and pushed the red, silk curtains that were blocking the way aside.

"Atemu?" he called out again as he stepped out onto the balcony. He looked around and made a surprised noise at how wide the balcony was. It was enough to fit more than ten people on.

"Yuugi? What are you doing out here?"

Yuugi turned to his left at the sound of his name to see Atemu sitting at a small table a few feet away from him, staring at him with curiosity.

"Grandpa and I are taking a short break from my lessons and I thought I would come and find you." He walked over to the small table and took a seat in the empty chair. "I would have missed you if I hadn't decided to look out here." He scanned Atemu's face and noticed how tired he looked. "Are you alright? You look exhausted."

"I needed some fresh air and some time to myself so I came out here," Atemu replied softly. "I have been distracted lately and that is something I cannot afford to be while Dartz and Pegasus are here."

Making a sympathetic noise, Yuugi reached over and took Atemu's hand into his. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"I only ask that you forgive me."

"Forgive you? For what?"

"For lying to you about your time magic and its sealing." Atemu gave him a weak smile that made Yuugi's heart twist. "I only wanted to keep you safe, but the only thing I have managed to accomplish is to drive us apart and for that, I am truly sorry,Young One."

Yuugi swallowed heavily at the sincere apology. "You don't need to ask for forgiveness, because I have already given it to you and grandpa." He tightened the grip he had on Atemu's hand. "So please, don't trouble yourself any further, okay?"

"Very well," Atemu gently disentangled their hands, and Yuugi felt heat rush to his face as Atemu brought his hand up to his lips to press a gentle kiss to the back of his hand. "I will try my best to do what my consort desires."

Still blushing too much for his liking, Yuugi pulled his hand away from Atemu's lips and gave him a fond, exasperated smile. "Flirtatious man,"

"Where did you get this?" Atemu reached across the table and touched the necklace that lay innocently on his chest.

"What?" Yuugi looked down at the necklace and took it into his hand. "This? General Timaeus gave it to me."

"He did, did he?"

Yuugi frowned at the tone of disapproval he heard in Atemu's voice. "Yes, he did. It is a symbol of friendship between us."

"Friendship?" Atemu raised an eyebrow and gave him a look that clearly stated he was naïve. Yuugi flushed in slight anger and embarrassment. "Is that what he said?"

"Yes, he looked sincere and… almost apologetic when he said it."

In all honesty, Timaeus had looked conflicted when he had handed the necklace over to him and had asked if they were friends. Yuugi had been more than happy to confirm such a thing, if only to give the man the comfort he obviously needed.

"I see. General Timaeus didn't say anything else to you, did he, Young One?"

Yuugi shook his head. "Not really, he just asked if I was happy here in Elysian and being engaged to you."

"Are you?"

"Of course I am!" Yuugi blurted out defensively, suppressing the hurt he felt as Atemu gave him a slightly disbelieving look. "What makes you think I'm not?"

"The secrets that I've been keeping from you, for one." Atemu looked pained and Yuugi wanted nothing more than to reach across the table and take Atemu into his arms; anything to make that awful look disappear. "I know you have forgiven me, but that still does not excuse the fact that I did lie to you."

"Yes, you did lie to me," Yuugi said firmly. "but you and my grandfather were only trying to protect me, and in the end that's all that really matters."

Atemu still looked reluctant, but nodded in acceptance. "How are your lessons going?" he asked in an obvious attempt to change the subject. Not that Yuugi minded, of course.

"Better than I thought they would go." Yuugi smiled as he remembered all of the praise and criticism his grandfather had given him. The older man was an excellent teacher, making sure that Yuugi understood everything before moving on.

"That's good to hear." Atemu leaned forward and gave him a beaming smile. "Could you show me what you have learned so far?"

"Sure!" Yuugi eagerly grabbed the empty wine glass that was sitting between them and made it disappear in a flash of purple light.

Atemu blinked at him. "What did you...?" Yuugi pointed to the balcony where the wine glass sat innocently, gleaming in the sun.

"It's the first level of warping," Yuugi explained, wearing an excited grin. "Grandpa says that after a while I can even start to warp things into other time periods."

When Atemu turned back around to face him again, Yuugi suddenly found himself under Atemu's impressed gaze. He ducked his head in embarrassment. He was pretty sure Atemu had seen something much more impressive than someone simply warping an empty glass.

"I'm proud of you, Young One." Yuugi looked up to see Atemu smiling at him, his eyes warm with love and appreciation, and he blushed hotly once more. "I can't wait to see what you'll be able to do after your advanced training."

"I… Thank you, Atemu, but I'm sure you've seen things even more impressive than this."

"Nonsense," Atemu cut in smoothly, "you have learned what would have taken anyone else months or years to get it right. Time magic is dangerous as you well know."

"Yes, of course." Yuugi swallowed heavily at the blunt reminder. "I am doing the best I can."

"I know, and you are doing an excellent job so far, Young One. Know that I will be with you every step of the way."

* * *

><p>Hermos watched with grim satisfaction as Critias delivered the finishing blow to the knight Cayden had summoned. He shivered when a wave of exhaustion flowed through him. He didn't know how much longer he could stand that bastard's assaults.<p>

"Are you alright?" he heard Critias ask firmly. "Hermos?"

Hermos took in several deep breaths. "I-I'll be fine." He reached down and retrieved his sword. "Let's hurry and kill Cayden before he summons again."

"Right." Critias turned his gaze back to Cayden. "Can you distract him while I begin an incantation? I only need a moment."

Hermos chuckled bitterly. "A moment is all he needs to kill me, but I will do the best I can." Hermos raced past Critias and aimed a wave of white, light energy at Cayden, who merely deflected the attack with a barrier.

"A child could've deflected that," Cayden taunted, raising his blade towards him. "You are tired, aren't you, dear heart? Allow me to put you to rest."

Cayden rushed forward and aimed for his head. Hermos dodged it and delivered a kick to Cayden's stomach, smirking when Cayden backed up several paces and sent him an icy glare as he managed to regain his footing again.

Hermos braced himself as Cayden began to run towards him again, only to breathe a sigh of relief as the elite soldier suddenly stopped in his tracks. Cayden was covered in a purple light, and that meant that Critias had finished the spell just in the nick of time. Bless the man for his impeccable timing.

"Out foxed me again, dear heart?" Cayden murmured, capturing Hermos' attention. "Well done."

Hermos looked away from Cayden. "If it's any consolation, Cayden, I am sorry that it came down to this."

"I'm not. I fought for what I believed in, taken over by the power of the Orichalcos or not. I'll willingly give my life for my King and God."

**"_Remove this one, extinguish body and soul from this world. Banish!"_**

Hermos felt pity flow through him as Cayden gave him a charming smile. "I bid you farewell, dear heart." He watched as Cayden's body slowly faded into tiny, purple particles until nothing was left.

"Goodbye, Cayden."

"Here, let me help you up." Hermos was slowly brought to his feet and placed against the damaged wall. He slowly reached up and removed his helmet, tossing it to the ground. It was too damaged to do any good by this point anyway.

"What do we do now?" Hermos asked. "The entire palace is probably in an uproar, and it's only a matter of time before the city will be as well."

"Let's just get you into the infirmary for now." Critias pulled him away from the wall and wrapped an arm around his waist. "After that, we can figure something out."

As they dragged themselves out of the hallways of the elite guard, Hermos turned to look at Critias, who was wearing a troubled expression.

"Everything has gone wrong, hasn't it?"

Critias smirked darkly. "Wrong isn't the word I would use for this situation, Hermos. It's more like disastrous and horrific."

"Where is Princess Christina?"

Hermos' brow furrowed in confusion as Critias refused to respond and his expression became blank. He looked down and saw the blood stains from earlier, and his stomach dropped as it all clicked in his head.

"H-how bad?" He placed his hand where the blood-stains were. "Is she stable or…?"

"Stable," Critias grunted. "I hope she wakes up soon because this place is going to go straight to hell if she doesn't."

"I thought we'd already passed that point."

"This is tame compared to what's in store for us, especially once the King hears of this."

Hermos winced as his aching muscles were forced to strain with every step they took. He could only imagine the scolding Braham was going to give him once the master healer saw what shape he was in.

"I know it's a little late and somewhat inappropriate to ask, but for how long was Cayden pining after you?"

Hermos blinked at the question and turned his head slightly to see Critias glancing at him from the corner of his eye, waiting for him to respond.

"A couple of years," Hermos responded, feeling thrown off by the sudden shift in the conversation. "Why do you ask?"

"Curiosity," Critias answered quickly. "You never told me about him, though."

"So?"

Critias stopped and tightened his grip around his waist to keep him steady. "So? When did you stop telling me things? I shouldn't have to figure out that Cayden was pining for you while I was on the verge of killing him-"

"Critias," Hermos cut in smoothly, feeling amusement rush through him, "are you jealous?"

"And if I am? What of it?"

Hermos chuckled. "You really don't have anything to be jealous of, Critias, especially since the man is dead now."

"Regardless of the fact that he's dead, you should have told me that he was harassing you, Hermos."

"I can take care of myself, you know? I am a, you know, _General_. I don't need anyone's protection."

"I am well aware of the rank you hold. I was the one who promoted you." Critias grunted and shifted to get a better grip on his waist. "And I know you can take care of yourself. Is it wrong that I want you safe and away from pigs like Cayden?"

Hermos allowed his lips to pull into a sly grin at the confession. "That's so _sweet_, Critias, I had no idea you felt that way about me."

"Don't make me drop you," Critias deadpanned before quickly putting on a serious expression. "I do care about you, I admit. Much more than you think I do."

Hermos shook his head ruefully. "I should have known that was the best 'I love you' I was going to get out of someone like you."

"Take it or leave it."

"I suppose I'll have to take it," Hermos said with a straight face, though his eyes gleamed with amusement.

To his surprise, Critias gave him a wicked grin in return and continued to haul them to the infirmary, where Princess Christina was waiting.

"I love you. You know that, right?" Hermos asked, amusement fading away as he gave Critias a serious look. "I have for a long time now."

"I know," Critias murmured.

* * *

><p>"Freeze the water?"<p>

Mahad sighed with fond exasperation as Jounouchi gave him a bewildered look. "Yes, I want you to try to freeze the water." He nodded his head towards the partially frozen floor. "It shouldn't be a problem considering you've already done that."

"Well, that's different," Jou stuck his hand into the bucket of water and pulled it back out. "I just waved a hand and froze the floor. You're asking me to freeze a bucket of water."

"This is the first time I've heard you complain about something, Jou," Mahad crossed his arms over his chest and gave his temporary student a grin. "That tells me you think you can't do it."

"I can do it!"

"Then freeze the water."

Mahad watched Jou give him an unsure look before placing his palm over the bucket and allowing the ice magic to flow freely from his palm.

Over the past few days of their training, the younger mage had shown considerable progress, which hadn't surprise him since Jou had already been firmly disciplined with the sword.

It was always satisfying to him as a teacher to watch new mages grow and add their own little flare to the basic teachings the Mage Academy offered.

"Like this?"

Mahad looked down to see Jou holding the now frozen bucket of water. He reached down and poked the ice, only to have his finger easily break through.

"It's not solid enough." Mahad pulled his hand back. "You need to apply more magic to it."

"I'm not sure I should be doing that, you know?" Jou looked down at the bucket. "What if it grows out of control?"

"It won't," Mahad motioned about the small, white room they were currently in. "As you know, this room has a multitude of barriers in it."

Mahad placed a hand on Jou's shoulder as he noticed the younger man still looking at him uncertainly. "You mustn't let fear hold you back, Jou. I know that you are more than capable of controlling your ice magic." He nodded to the bucket. "Now, try again."

"Alright."

Mahad watched carefully as Jou pushed out another wave of ice magic, successfully freezing the water solid. He knew that it would only be a matter of time before Jou lost that fear of losing control and would become confident in his magical abilities, wielding it as confidently as he did his swords.

"Very good," Mahad praised, rapping his knuckles against the frozen bucket. He set it down, turning to two dummies and a lone sword waiting in the corner. "Now it's time for you to try to fuse your magic with your weapon."

Mahad could only send Jou are assuring grin as Jou looked even more unsure than he already had been. "What did I say about not fearing your magic,hmm?" He grabbed Jou's arm, hauled him to his feet, and pushed him towards the dummies."Let's see what you can do."

Jou picked up the sword and made a few test swings with it before lowering it to his side. Mahad found it amusing that Jou could be at ease with his weapon while being so insecure with magic, but he could understand it. Magic could be something volatile in incapable hands while weapons could be absolutely useless in the hands of a novice.

"Alright, I've already taught you how to focus your ice magic properly." Mahad stepped past Jou and tapped one of the dummies lightly. "Concentrate your magical energy into the sword and strike the dummy."

Jou took a deep breath and Mahad watched as the blue ice magic came out of Jou's hands and twirled around the blade. He was impressed at the level of control so far.

"Just a little more," he instructed, noticing how little magic there was on the blade. "This will do nothing against future opponents you might have."

"Right." Jou pushed more waves of ice magic onto the blade until none of the metal could be seen. "Is that enough?"

Mahad stepped out of the way. "Excellent. Now, attack the dummy."

Jou charged forward and made a horizontal slash once he was close enough to the dummy. As expected, the dummy fell apart easily and fell to the ground in a heap of hay, wood, and ice.

"Very good," Mahad praised. "I'm sure that Seto will be proud of your progress once he hears of it."

Jou snorted. "I doubt that. He demands perfection from anyone he works with, or in my case, teaches, so I wouldn't be surprised if he just gave me a pat on the shoulder and told me to work even harder."

"Praise is given where it is deserved, Jou." Mahad chuckled, crossing his arms. "I am sure he'll give it to you and possibly more."

As Mahad expected, Jou flushed deeply at the implication. Throughout their days of training, Jou had asked several times how Seto was doing as casually as he could. Mahad had always responded that Seto was doing well. Albeit a little stressed. It was obvious to anyone that Jou had a growing crush on Seto, and Mahad found it amusing that Seto often visited them when he obviously didn't have the time. Unfortunately, Jou had never caught Seto watching him from the shadows of whichever training room they chose for the day.

Mahad looked up as the door to the room creaked open and Seto silently slipped in. Not wanting Seto to get away again without Jou's knowledge, he spoke up loud and clear.

"Seto! Welcome!"

His sudden shout caused Jou to drop his sword and whirl around to see Seto next to the open door, wearing an icy glare.

"Mahad," Seto growled in greeting. "Jou."

"Seto," Mahad greeted again, walking forward and clamping a hand on the man's shoulder when he was close enough. "What brings you here today?"

"I was looking for His Majesty and decided to check on my student on the way." Seto looked at the frozen bucket of water and the destroyed dummy. "From the looks of things he seems to be making good progress."

"Indeed he is." Mahad praised, waving Jou forward. "He'll become a very capable spell-sword soon enough."

"Is that right?" Seto asked Jou once the younger man was close enough. "It looks like you are doing a well enough job."

Mahad let out a chuckle of surprise when Jou turned and gave him a smug look that said, "I told you he was going to say that, didn't I?"

"What?" Seto asked with a confused frown on his lips. "Did I say something funny?"

"No," Mahad rushed to reassure, "nothing at all. Is there something urgent that needs to be discussed with His Majesty?"

Seto frowned solemnly. "King Dartz and King Pegasus have called an emergency meeting, and I have a feeling it's going to be about something we've been avoiding since their arrival."

"About Yuugi?" Jou asked, frowning thoughtfully. "That's the reason why they're here, right? To kidnap him and bring him to Atlantis or Sylvantia."

"Yes," Seto replied honestly, "that is the exact reason as to why they're here, and I need you to stay clear for the time being. They could use you as a bargaining chip to get Yuugi to come with them."

"I can defend myself just fine."

Mahad jumped in and stepped between them seemingly casually. He could see an argument coming and figured it would be best to prevent it.

"We know that you can defend yourself just fine, Jou ,but we're being cautious about this." He turned to Seto. "I will keep him here until the meeting is over. Can you send a soldier to tell us?"

"Yes, I will." Seto's eyes showed relief, but it disappeared as quickly as it had come. "I'd best be on my way now." He turned to Jou. "Stay safe, for Yuugi's sake…" '_and mine'_ was left hanging in the air, and Mahad watched Jou blush brightly as he caught on.

"You too."

Seto turned on his heels and walked away as silently as he had come in, leaving a wary Mahad and a worried Jou behind.

* * *

><p>"Thank you for meeting me here, Emperor Faenor. I sincerely hope that I was not interrupting anything important."<p>

Atemu leaned back in his chair and gave Dartz a wary stare. He allowed his eyes to drift first to Timaeus, who was standing behind Dartz wearing a pinched expression, and then to Pegasus, who was wearing a blank expression.

He had been retrieved by Seto, who had told him that Pegasus and Dartz had called for an emergency meeting. Those solemn words had told him that this meeting wasn't going to be good at all. He was grateful that Yuugi had already gone back to his grandfather to continue their lessons by the time Seto had come around, because he didn't have the heart to see the worried look that spread on Yuugi's face too often for his liking these days.

"No," Atemu replied, "you interrupted nothing of importance, King Dartz, is there something that I can help you with?"

King Dartz gave him a look that Atemu didn't appreciate, but he said nothing of it. "Yes, I am afraid that our time here in Elysian is up, and thus this polite atmosphere that we have created between us must now come to an end."

Atemu tensed as the atmosphere in the room became tense and frosty. "Really? I am sorry that you have to leave us so soon, King Dartz. I must also apologize for the destruction of our 'polite atmosphere´ as you called it."

Dartz' eyes narrowed at his smart remark, and Atemu allowed himself to smirk in the man's direction. "Is there a point to this meeting, King Dartz? King Crawford? Other than to tell me of your departures, that is."

"Yes," Pegasus spoke up calmly. "King Dartz and I think it would be best if Seer Yuugi accompanies us to our homelands."

Atemu frowned at the proposal. "We have already discussed this, haven't we? Yuugi will not be leaving Elysian until we are wed."

"You misunderstand, Emperor Faenor." Pegasus said. This time his voice had taken on a threatening tone. "That was not a request."

Behind him, Marik and Bakura took a step forward. Atemu quickly raised his hand to stop them. "You mean to take him by force?"

"You're catching on," Dartz mocked lightly. " Leviathan believes that the Seer would be better off in Atlantis, and he has sent me here as his representative to take him."

Atemu sent a knowing look to Timaeus, who turned his gaze away. Whether it was in shame or shock he could not tell. "By any means necessary, I take it?"

"Correct."

"You will not leave this palace alive if you attempt to take my consort," Atemu threatened. "I trust that you understand that?"

It was Timaeus' turn to take a step forward, but like Atemu, Dartz raised a hand to stop his advance. "I understand, and King Pegasus and I have come up with an ultimatum."

"Do tell," Atemu drawled sarcastically. "I am itching to know."

"Hand the Seer over to us without complaint or we will launch a war against Elysian."

Atemu stood from his chair and stared both Kings down. "I think the both of you know the answer to that question."

"We will give you a quick moment to reconsider you answer to our ultimatum, Emperor Faenor." Pegasus rose from his own chair. "There is no need to spill the blood of our soldiers over one Seer."

"Our soldiers would gladly give their lives for the safety of their country and Seer Yuugi," Marik spoke up firmly. "It would be foolish for you to think otherwise, Your Majesty."

"And my soldiers would do the same." Dartz turned to Timaeus for confirmation and smirked in satisfaction as the General nodded his head.

"My answer remains the same, no matter how many 'moments' you give me."

Dartz rose up from his chair and gave him a solemn look. "Very well, then. In three weeks time, Atlantis and Sylvantia will launch a full-scale attack against the Empire of Elysian and any neutral lands that it is allied with."

"So be it," Atemu replied. He allowed his lips to curl into a dark, unforgiving smirk, "but, what makes you think that we are going to let you get out of this room alive? I mean, there would be no war if we killed you right now."

Once those words left his mouth, Timaeus unsheathed his sword and stepped in front of Dartz. Atemu was immediately flanked by Marik and Bakura, who had drawn their weapons as well.

Not much to his surprise, Dartz sent him his own dark smirk, pulling out a small, emerald jewel from underneath his clothing. "I always come prepared, Emperor Faenor. So, I'm afraid that you won't be killing anyone today."

Before Atemu could open his mouth to order Marik and Bakura to stop Dartz. A bright, green light suddenly filled the council room. Atemu quickly placed his arm over his eyes.

"Remember, three weeks and then war shall descend upon your precious Elysian!"

Atemu removed his arm from his face and cursed loudly when he saw that Dartz, Timaeus, and Pegasus had vanished from the room.

"Well," Bakura muttered sourly from beside him, "so much for killing them."

"No use complaining about it," Marik stated. "We have a war to worry about now."

"Where are Raphael and Yoshimori?" Mai asked, glancing around the room.

"Gone," Shada muttured, disbelief clear in his tone. "I saw them disappear along with Dartz and Pegasus." he gave Mai an apologetic look. "You were right about all along about Raphael, Mai, but Yoshimori was unexpected."

"He was against me marrying Yuugi, so I am not surprised that he decided to betray us." Atemu said. "As for Raphael, he has been under suspicion for a while now, so it is better of that he is gone."

Atemu slid back into his seat and mentally seethed at allowing Pegasus and Dartz to slip out of his grasp. He took several, deep breaths to calm himself down. It wouldn't do to lose his temper now. It wouldn't do himself or anyone any good.

"Your Majesty?" Seto questioned. "What is your will?"

Atemu turned to Marik and Bakura, who bowed their heads in question. "Marik, send a letter to Captain Rashid and inform him to increase the security of the ports, and tell the northern border patrol to tighten its defenses. Once that has been completed, call all commanders from our outer and inner cities and have them report here for a briefing about the situation. I want the defenses around the palace and city tightened so that not a single traveler will pass through the gates without my knowledge."

Marik and Bakura snapped a salute. "Yes, Your Majesty."

"What of General Howards, Your Majesty?" Bakura asked. "Since King Dartz and Crawford have most likely returned to their respective homelands than that means they have left General Howard behind in the dungeons."

"We have three weeks before Atlantis and Sylvantia come to borders armed to the teeth, see what you can get out of him and use any method necessary."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Both of you are dismissed for now. Report back to me when you have completed these tasks."

The General and Colonel snapped another salute and quickly disappeared from the room. Atemu turned back to his council, all of them watching him anxiously.

Seeing this, his thoughts wandered to Yuugi, who he knew was going to look at him the same way once the news reached his ears.

For the second time in his life, Atemu felt like he was failing his people, dragging them into a war that would empty houses and break thousands of hearts for years to come. However, this had been predicted hundreds of years ago, and he could no longer do anything to stop it.

The only thing he could do was try his damn hardest to quickly end this war as soon as possible for Yuugi and his people's sake.

"They must not be allowed to succeed, Your Majesty," Mai spoke up softly. "Dartz is acting according Leviathan's orders, but I know not what Pegasus might gain through this venture."

"It no longer matters what his objective was or still is," Seto put in harshly. "He will be cut down just as Dartz will be."

"I think it would be best if we moved the Seer to another location, Your Majesty," Shada spoke up. "It would not be wise for him to stay here,"

"He is safe here," Mai cut in. "The palace is the safest place in all of Elysian."

"Yuugi is the safest in the palace for now, so let us put that aside for now." Atemu cut in smoothly. "In the meantime, let us prepare the people for war."

* * *

><p>AN : Well, folks! It's finally here! War has been declared! Yuugi and Jou is progressing in their magical training, Hermos and Critias have admitted their feelings for each other -while injured at that- so hold onto your seats people. Let's ride this story to the end, which isn't too far off now.

Ending Current Song : Two as One by Crystal Kay ft CHEMISTRY


	26. Chapter 26

Valkyria : Hello everyone, welcome to another chapter of Emperor's Prophecy, enjoy!

Disclaimer : I claim no rights to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh

Beta'd by : Moondailian.

Current Song : Just Communication by Two-Mix.

* * *

><p><em>"When we know our own strength, we shall the better know what to undertake with hopes of success; and when we have well surveyed the powers of our own minds, and made some estimate what we may expect from them, we shall not be inclined either to sit still, and not set our thoughts on work at all, in despair of knowing anything; nor on the other side, question everything, and declaim all knowledge, because some things are not to be understood." - John Locke. <em>

**Chapter Twenty-Six: Fault**

"Gone? So suddenly? Did something happen?"

"I do not know. I doubt anyone but His Majesty and the Council know the real reason why King Crawford and King Dartz left so suddenly. The only reason I know is because I was ordered to clean out their rooms."

"Clean out their rooms? Surely they weren't in so much of a rush to leave their possessions behind?"

"Apparently they were. Honestly though, I'm just happy they're gone now. Maybe everything can go back to normal and we can stop tiptoeing around the palace."

"Do you really think everything is going to go back to normal? I mean, if they left so suddenly, something big must have happened."

"If something did happen, I'm sure His Majesty will tell us soon enough. That, or Andrea will tell us. You know how much of a big mouth she has."

"Ugh, I know! Do you remember when Serena went on that date with Lieutenant Citan? Andrea told everyone about it, including her parents! And you know how much Serena's parents despise military types."

"Tell me about it…"

Yuugi waited patiently until he could no longer hear the maids' chatter before stepping out of the small corner he had hidden himself in.

He had been on his way back to his chambers when he had caught the maids talking about King Dartz and King Crawford. Figuring it wouldn't hurt to eavesdrop, Yuugi had stopped and listened in to what the two women had been talking about.

He hadn't been disappointed.

_This definitely explains why grandfather and Hector are suddenly training me into the ground. Both of them must've known what happened between King Dartz, King Crawford and Atemu. And again, I'm left out of the loop. _

"Sneaking around, Young Seer? How unbecoming of our future co-ruler."

Yelping, Yuugi whirled around to see Fenrir sitting on his haunches, giving him an amused look. Yuugi placed his hand over his racing heart, all the while giving the wolf a half-hearted glare.

"_I'm_ sneaking around?" Yuugi grumbled. "You're the one who's going around, performing your little disappearing trick on unsuspecting people."

"I resent that, Young Seer." Fenrir said, prowling towards him. "It's called teleportation magic, not a disappearing trick." Fenrir stopped at his side. "Are you finished with your lessons for the day?"

"Yes, Grandfather has released me for the day, so I'm on my way back to my chambers." Yuugi replied. "What about you? Out for a walk?"

"You could say that," Fenrir murmured vaguely. "Did they say something of interest?"

"Who?" Yuugi asked, deciding to play dumb for the moment. From the look Fenrir gave him, his efforts weren't appreciated.

"The maids, I didn't exactly catch what they said, but from the look you were sporting when I showed up, it must've been something interesting."

"They were talking about King Dartz and King Crawford's departure," Yuugi admitted reluctantly. "What's going on, Fenrir? Why did they leave so suddenly?"

"There was a slight disagreement."

"A slight disagreement," Yuugi repeated, raising an eyebrow. "That's a vague answer."

"Yes, it is."

Yuugi forced down his aggravation as Fenrir made no attempt to speak about the matter any further. "You're not going to tell me anything, are you?"

"I should," Fenrir stated, "but I think it would be better if you were to ask Atemu, or finished reading Leon's journal."

"What does Leon's journal have to do with any of this?"

"You can tell me the answer to that question when you're done reading it."

"What makes you think I'm going to read Leon's journal? I can just go to Atemu for answers. That would be easier in the long run."

"Of course it would be easier to ask Atemu what's going on, but do you always want to go to him for the answers you seek?"

Yuugi frowned thoughtfully, Fenrir did have a point. He couldn't always go to Atemu for the answers he wanted. And even if he did, there was no guarantee that Atemu would even give him a straight answer. Despite the fact that they had promised each other to never hide nor lie about anything, Atemu still had the habit of being overprotective.

"Alright," Yuugi acquiesced, "I'll see what Leon has to say. But this doesn't mean I don't trust Atemu to give me the answer."

Fenrir chuckled roughly. "I never said you didn't trust Atemu. I said you should find the answers for yourself. You are to become the future co-ruler of Elysian soon, and there will be times you will have to make decisions on your own."

"I know that."

"Very well, then." Fenrir sounded pleased. "I shall leave you to your task now, Young Seer."

Yuugi watched Fenrir disappear in a flash of white light before continuing his walk back to his chamber, wondering why Fenrir wanted him to read the journal so badly. What answers did it hold?

"Only one way to find out," Yuugi whispered, opening the door to his chambers to step inside. There, sitting innocently on his bed, was Leon's journal. Walking over to it, Yuugi grabbed the journal as he settled on the edge of his bed.

As he read each page, he couldn't help but feel angry and frustrated at the countless adversities that Leon and his group of Seers had faced. No one had bothered to help or listen to the Seers and their visions.

They had walked and fought on the battlefields. One by one each Seer that Leon had brought with him had fallen because of the Twilight Plague, which had shown up in the previous weeks, or because they had been struck down by an Elysian or Atlantian soldier along the way.

Yuugi couldn't help but feel connected when Leon admitted how lonely and sad he had become when he found out that he was the only Seer remaining in Eternia. The Emperor had finally passed judgment and had executed Amadeus along with the other Seers who had remained in the city.

Despite all of the setbacks he had faced, Leon had moved forward and had sabotaged both sides by knocking out the supply routes and barriers that each side had set up, gaining a surprising ally, Vincent, Prince of Elysian, along the way.

Together, they had continued to sabotage both sides by giving out false orders, paying off the occasional rogue mage to destroy the supply routes that came from the transportation gates Atlantis used. Unfortunately, their efforts had done little to halt the war.

It wasn't until three years later that the war slowly came to its conclusion. The King of Atlantis and the Emperor of Elysian had met on the battlefield to settle the matter with a single battle. Leon and Vincent, along with soldiers and mages from both sides, had quietly looked on in awe as their rulers fought intensely with blades and incantations that even some of the more experienced mages on the field at the time had turned green with envy over.

The battle had ended quietly when the King of Atlantis had killed the Emperor with a hidden dagger. Atlantis' victory had been short-lived as the King himself died shortly after from the wounds he had sustained from the battle. With both rulers dead, Vincent and the heir to Atlantian throne, Dante, had signed an informal peace treaty, effectively ending the conflict.

The months after the war's conclusion had been spent burying the dead, rebuilding the villages, cities, and temples; drawing up peace treaties; and crowning Vincent as the new Emperor of Elysian and Dante as the new King of Atlantis. After making sure Elysian was getting back on its feet, Leon had set out to explore Eternia as he had done before the war had begun, managing to explore more than half of the land before the age of one-hundred. When his lust for wandering had been satisfied, Leon had settled down in Asrai City, where Vincent, who had, by this point, retired and was one hundred and five himself, welcomed him home with open arms. The Celestial Palace was where Leon had spent his remaining days, still having the occasional vision.

At the age of one-hundred and sixty, in the last few weeks of his life, Leon had a scribe write down his final vision.

_"War will touch these lands again. Not today, nor tomorrow, but centuries later. This war will be fought for the control over a fellow Seer, whose name I will not mention for I will grant him all the peace I can until it is that time. He will be protected and loved by the Valiant Emperor, who will sacrifice soul and body to protect the Seer from all harm."_

Yuugi carefully closed the book after he finished reading the prophecy. Was this what Fenrir had wanted him to see? Was this the answer Fenrir had wanted him to find?

"War will touch these lands again," Yuugi recited softly. If war was coming then the sudden departures of King Dartz and King Crawford's suddenly made a lot more sense.

Yuugi tightened his grip on the worn journal as the rest of the prophecy ran through his mind. This war was being fought over him, and the mere thought of that made him sick to his stomach. He didn't want to be responsible for the deaths of thousands of people. He didn't want to be responsible for the countless homes that would be emptied, or the hearts and souls that would never be mended. He didn't want this to happen, but how could you stop a war that had been predicted centuries ago? A war that was most likely on the verge of happening.

And to make matters worse, Atemu was the "Valiant Emperor." stated in the prophecy. He didn't want Atemu to sacrifice_ anything!_ Atemu was already doing enough for him as it is. Not only did the older man made sure he wanted for nothing, but he also took his hand in marriage to make sure that he was safe. He couldn't let Atemu go through with this.

With his heart in his throat, Yuugi rose from his bed and raced out of his chambers. He had to find Atemu. He had to do something – _anything_ – to stall this war.

Standing before his most decorated commanders, Atemu despaired at the thought of telling them that they would have to prepare for war in three weeks. But as his father told him many times before, a ruler's life is full of trials.

"Your Majesty, may I ask why you have called us here? Has something happened?"

"I'm afraid so, Commander Rajah." Atemu looked around the table, making sure to catch each man and woman's eye while doing so. "Atlantis, along with Sylvantia, have declared war on us."

As he expected, his confession caused an immediate uproar in the room.

"War!"

"How long do we have to prepare, Your Majesty!"

"Have you told the people, Your Majesty?"

"Sylvantia _and_ Atlantis? How long have they been planning this?"

"Does it matter how long they have been planning this, Amalia? What matters now is how we deal with it."

"I say we attack immediately! I can have my forces ready at a moment's notice."

"Do not be foolish, Raines! If we attack without preparation, we will be crushed! Do you know what Atlantis' dragon squadrons would do to our ground forces!"

"We have a dragon squadron of our own commanded by High Lord Kaiba, who is bonded to the Dragon Kisara if you'll remember, Reyna."

"That is only seven dragons, Raines! Atlantis has twenty! The odds are stacked against us!"

"_Enough!" _Atemu roared. "Be silent! All of you!"

A tense, silence consumed the meeting room. Atemu continued in a more weary tone. "Now is not the time to argue amongst ourselves. We need to calmly use our heads and come up with a strategy, several in fact, to keep our home safe." Atemu turned to Bakura and waved him forward. "Colonel Firimar, Why don't you start by telling us the information that you gained from General Howard."

"General Howard of Sylvantia? Why is he here?"

"King Crawford left him behind when he escaped with King Dartz." Bakura replied, smirking. "Unfortunately, the information we gathered wasn't informative at all. It seems that the reason Pegasus came to Elysian was because he had struck a bargain with Dartz."

"A bargain?" Amalia asked. "What kind of bargain, Colonel?"

"A cure for his ailing wife," Bakura replied. "Queen Cecelia was on her deathbed when King Dartz swept in and offered to make Pegasus' problem go away."

"And did he receive the cure for Queen Crawford?" Raines asked.

"We do not know, but are assuming he did because he has allied himself with Dartz in the war."

"In return for his wife's cure, he became a war ally?" Reyna mused. "A man's love knows no bounds."

"I am surprised that General Howard gave even this information up." Seto spoke up. "How much pain did you inflict on this man, Bakura?"

"None," Bakura replied. "General Howard doesn't have any love for his King. He couldn't care less if Pegasus survives the war."

"A soldier who has no loyalty is useless to his King." Raines growled. "If he has no further information we can use, then it is best if we get rid of him. I doubt King Crawford will come back begging for such a spineless man."

"Killing him would cripple Sylvantia," Reyna said, "but what would all of you say to returning Howard? If he truly has no love for Pegasus, it would only be a matter of time before he kills him. In the end, he would be doing us a favor."

"No, it would look suspicious to Sylvantia if we just gave their prized General back to them." Marik said, shaking his head.

"Then what do you suggest we do then, General Aegnor?" Reyna asked curiously.

"I have something in mind, so leave General Howard to me." Marik smirked, turning toward Bakura. "I will need your help with this, my friend, if you do not mind?"

"Of course not." Bakura chuckled darkly. "Any scheme that you have is bound to be fun."

"What of Atlantis? What is the reason they are taking us to war?"

Atemu had been afraid of that question. "King Dartz wants to take the Seer from us,"

"Seer Yuugi Motou?" Reyna blurted out. "Your intended? That is the reason Dartz is bringing war to our doorstep?"

"Yes."

"Dartz has some balls to try and do such a thing." Raines put in sourly. "To steal the Seer is despicable, I would have never thought Dartz to be such a man."

"There has to be more to it than that," Reyna said. "You don't declare war for the sole reason of gaining one person."

Marik snorted. "You'd be surprised how petty a man's reasoning can be to declare war on another land, Reyna."

"Their reasons matter little now," Bakura muttered. "The only thing we can do now is fight back and put them back in their place."

"Back to our defenses," Amalia spoke up. "What of the borders between Elysian and Sylvantia? Are they secure?"

"Yes," Marik replied, "we have increased security by three fold, along with placing an extra four hundred soldiers and three mage squads on all of roads leading to and from Sylvantia, they will have a hard time entering. The ports and shores leading to Atlantis have received five hundred soldiers and three mage squads. That should be enough to hold both sides off should they decide to attack early."

Atemu stood and leaned over the map that lay spread out across the table. "Our border defenses are secure for the moment so let us turn our attention to gathering our forces. Reyna, Amalia, how long will it take to gather your mage forces?"

"Our most experienced mages took a fresh batch of mages to the port town of Halas for a training exercise, so it will take about a week for them return. I will send them a message and ask them to return as fast as possible."

"No transportation gates?"

Reyna scowled. "Not with a fresh batch on their hands. Going through a transportation gate with them is like a bomb going off."

"Very well," Atemu said, "have them return as soon as you can, Reyna. Raines, Rajah, what of your ground forces?"

"Our ground forces can be ready at a moment's notice, Your Majesty." Rajah replied. "You only have to say the word."

"We have our soldiers and mages ready, but what about Atlantis' dragon brigade? What are we going to do about them?"

"Kisara and I will fly out tonight and plead for Kaeana and Caanan's help." Seto said. "They are the leaders of this continent's dragon clans. Their numbers are in the hundreds, so I'm sure they will have a couple of dragons that will want to lend us a hand."

"Some dragons are not too fond of humans, so are you sure you can get them to help?" Reyna asked.

"Kisara and I have proven ourselves to the clans, so requesting them to help shouldn't be a problem."

"Good, then Atlantis' dragon brigades shouldn't be a problem." Reyna said.

"Marik? Bakura? What of your forces?"

"It's going to take a little longer that we anticipated, Your Majesty." Marik replied. "With the new batch of mages and soldiers joining, I'm going to have weed the hot-heads out."

"How long?" Atemu asked.

"Two weeks time," Marik winced lightly. "We have over two thousand new recruits."

"I will send two of my lieutenants to help you with this, General Aegnor." Rajah offered. "They are compentent and I trust them with my life, so you have your troops ready quickly."

"I thank you, Rajah."

"Bakura? What of you?"

"My Shadow Units are ready, Your Majesty, my ground troops merely need outfitting for magic dampening armor."

"The medical teams?"

"Lady Ishtar will head five medical teams, and Ryou Lindel, her apprentice will head three."

"Very good, now that you have been informed of the situation," Atemu spoke up. "All of you are to return to your stations and begin preparations. I want daily reports from each of you via magical fire. Am I understood?"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

"Good, you are all-"

"Seer Motou! They are in session! You cannot enter!"

"I don't care! You are to let me in, now!"

"Seer-"

The door burst open at the guard's loud protest, Atemu frowned as Yuugi came in, flushed and panting. His heart leapt into his throat at the sight of Leon's journal in Yuugi's hand.

"Young One," Atemu began.

"No," Yuugi snarled, holding up the journal. "We are going to discuss this now,"

* * *

><p>"You still have no desire to speak to me, Cecelia?" Pegasus resisted the urge to take his newly cured wife into his arms, instead keeping his arms firmly to his side. "I know you are angry with me, but I would make the same choice if I were given the chance again."<p>

"Then you are a fool." Cecelia turned and pinned him with stern stare. "You have sacrificed our country and our most valued General in exchange for my life." Cecelia placed her hand against her heart. "I did not want this, Pegasus. I implore you, send a message to Emperor Faenor and tell him you are no longer allied with Atlantis."

Pegasus took a step closer to his wife. "If I were to do that, Atlantis would turn its gaze to us. We are not powerful enough to take them on. They would devastate us even worse than Elysian would."

Cecelia turned to the window of their chamber. "So we do nothing? We go along with Dartz and stay his puppets for however long he desires? Do you know how this will affect us, Pegasus? Do you know how many homes this war will empty? How many futures it will take away?"

Pegasus flinched at the blunt questions. "More than I can possibly imagine. But as I stated before, we cannot afford to betray Atlantis."

"The man I know, the man I fell in love with, would not be afraid to face a powerful opponent such as Atlantis. What changed you, Pegasus? What has made you so afraid that you would not even try?"

"It is the thought of loosing you that has made me a coward, Cecelia." Pegasus stepped closer and pulled his wife into his arms. "I would do anything to keep you here with me."

"You would do anything to keep me here," Cecelia repeated. "You have sacrificed everything, Pegasus. I am not worth the lives of thousands. You are the King; you should have understood that! We are always to put the people's needs before our own!"

"And I have!" Pegasus hissed. "All my life I have put the people's needs before my own. Just this once, Cecelia, I want to be selfish."

"And look where that moment of selfishness, that moment of weakness, has gotten us."

Pegasus pulled away. "I will always regret bringing the fires of war to our home, but I am not sorry for saving your life."

"Pegasus-"

"I have a meeting with our commanders to attend," Pegasus cut in coolly. "If you'll excuse me."

"Pegasus, please, wait…"

Ignoring his wife's pleas, Pegasus left the room and made his way to the council room located down the hall.

Knowing Cecelia's self-sacrificing nature, Pegasus had known she would be upset about this. Knowing that didn't make it hurt any less to see the accusation and disappointment in her eyes, though.

Stepping into the council room, Pegasus closed the door firmly behind him and turned to see all of his commanders, General Howard excluded, sitting at the round table.

"I assume by your silence that our troops are ready?" Pegasus asked, taking a seat at the table.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Panic stood from his seat. "Our ground forces are ready to depart at a moment's notice."

"We just have one problem that needs to be addressed, Your Majesty." a female commander, Freyja, spoke up "It is about General Howard. His father has found out that he is still in Elysian, and demands an audience with you."

"He is most likely expecting you to offer some type of trade with the Elysians," Panic stated. "I am not fond of the General, but it would be best if we try and get him back."

Pegasus raised an eyebrow at Panic's confession. It was widely known that the Colonel had always wanted Keith's position, but the large man had never done anything underhanded to obtain it. Unfortunately, it seemed that Panic would be getting what he wanted on this day.

"I'm afraid that we can not spare the effort of retrieving General Howard, nor can we risk entering Elysian to even initiate some type of trade."

"Then who will lead our troops, Your Majesty?" Panic asked.

"As if this moment, you are temporarily promoted to the rank of General, Panic, granted this will be temporary, General Howard has uncanny luck on his side for getting out of impossible situations."

"And if luck decides to run out on Howard?"

"Then you keep your cushy promotion, _General _Panic."

Panic bowed his head. "I thank you then, Your Majesty." Pegasus nodded his head, not failing to notice to suppressed excitement that Panic was failing to keep under wraps. The soldier was damn good in the battlefield, but his morals were definitely lacking.

"We must offer our congratulations, General Panic-" Captain Para spoke up.

"You will make a fine, leader to our troops." Captain Dox finished.

"Thank you, Captain Para, Captain Dox."

"Has King Dartz contacted you yet, Your Majesty?" Panic asked. "If we are to go to war together, it is important we stay in contact constantly with each other."

"No, King Dartz is having a few problems with his chain of command at the moment." Pegasus replied. "We will worry about our own troops for the moment, and collaborate with King Dartz' forces when the time comes."

"I do not trust those Atlantians, Your Majesty," Freyja, spat out. "As long as we don't have more power, they and their superiority complex cannot be trusted."

"Indeed we cannot, but let us see how things turn out for now, shall we?"

* * *

><p>"It is done, Your Majesty."<p>

Dartz turned his gaze from his unconscious daughter to the inquisitor, who was standing in the doorway. "Both of them?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. Generals Critias and Hermos have both received seventy-eight lashes and have had their magical systems temporarily sealed."

"And General Timaeus?"

"General Timaeus has received his twenty lashes and is currently in the infirmary."

"Very good," Dartz praised. "Make sure that Critias and Hermos are taken to the infirmary so that they may recover, and get rid of the Council's bodies. I do not want to stink up the palace with their rotting corpses."

"Yes, Your Majesty. Is there anything else you desire?"

"No. you are dismissed. Please close the door on your way out."

Dartz turned his attention back to his daughter as the door to her chambers closed. Reaching over, he clasped her hands between his gently.

He had returned to find his daughter recovering from the verge of death, his elite guard dead, and his once pristine palace partially destroyed. From the short message he had received, he knew that his daughter was at fault for what had happened, but he had decided not to punish her for the moment. He had instead turned his attentions to Critias and Hermos, who had still been recovering from their own battles.

He had sent both men to the dungeons and had executed the council once he had gotten the story out of them. When Timaeus had protested against this, he had lashed out against him and had given him twenty lashes; a light punishment.

Dartz wanted nothing more than to give Critias and Hermos the death penalty for such a betrayal, but with war on the horizon, he could not afford to lose his top three commanders, so he gave what punishment he could in exchange for death. It would have shown him to be weak in front of the soldiers if he had let the three of them go without some kind of reprimand.

Once order had been restored to the palace he had reported to Leviathan, only to find the God highly displeased with current events. He had only managed to save himself from punishment by saying that he had declared war on Elysian in order to obtain the Seer. This, surprisingly enough, seem to please Leviathan.

A soft moan derailed his train of thoughts. Dartz looked down to see his daughter slowly opening her eyes. He pulled his lips into a tight smile as she turned to him, tightening his grip on her hand when she tried to pull away.

"Hello, my child."

Christina stared at him through half-lidded eyes. "F-Father? When did you get back? Where am I?"

"I returned a few days ago, and you are in your chambers."

When she tried to rise, he released her hand and pushed her back down onto the bed. "You need to rest, my child."

"I-I'm fine, Father. Where are Critias and Hermos?"

"In the infirmary, healing up from the battles and their punishment."

"Punishment?" Christina whispered. "Father, what did you do?"

"I have done what is needed. Be grateful you are not next." Ignoring his daughter's startled stare, he continued. "I am very disappointed with your actions, Christina. I expected better from my heir."

"I did what was needed, Father." Christina stated. "We cannot go to war with Elysian."

"That is not your choice; it is Leviathan's will we go to war. His will is law."

"Are you listening to yourself! You sound like a mindless drone! Leviathan this and Leviathan that! Will Leviathan care if Atlantis is destroyed because of this war!"

"Atlantis will remain as it is now; glorious and untouched."

"You lie!" Christina hissed. "You are not my father! You are just a mindless drone possessed by Leviathan.'

Ignoring his daughter's words, Dartz rose from the chair. "There are guards outside your door with orders not to let you out of this room. There are curse spells on the windows in case you are foolish enough to try and escape through there."

"You can't keep me here forever," Christina whispered. "Critias, Timaeus and Hermos will not let you."

Dartz smirked cruelly. "You seem so confident in your knights in shining armor. However, they will not be here to rescue you as they will be occupied with the war."

"They will never cooperate with you, Father. You must know that, at least."

"They are soldiers; it is their duty to defend their honor and their homeland. Using you as a bargaining chip will help things along as well."

"Coward."

Dartz smiled at the insult. "I prefer to be called a man of strategy, my child. Since you are awake and full of energy, it is time for your punishment for your involvement in this fiasco."

"And that would be?"

"You will announce to the people that we are going to war," Dartz stated.

"That's the best you can do?" Christina goaded. "I thought you were more creative than that."

"I believe that it is a fitting punishment for you, my child. You love the people deeply, so to see the looks on their faces when you announce such a thing is something that you will never forget."

"I will not do this, _Father_, you can not make me."

"Stubborn child," Dartz murmured. "Very well then, you will remain in this room for the time being," Dartz leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead, smiling again she moved away like a startled mouse. "I will come see you again, Christina."

"You will not get away with this, you hear me!" Christina stared at him with determined eyes that reminded him of her mother.

Giving his daughter a pitying look, Dartz turned to make his way out of the room. "I believe I already have, my child."

* * *

><p>AN : What a chapter, eh? I hope you guys had fun reading it! See you next time.


	27. Chapter 27

Valkyria : Hello! Welcome to Chapter Twenty-Seven. Enjoy reading!

Disclaimer : I claim no rights to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh

Beta'd by : Moondalian

Current Song : Grim Grimoire OST - Ancient Secret Formula.

* * *

><p><em>"It is said that adversity introduces us to ourselves. This is true of a nation as well. We see our national character in our ability to rally together in times of difficulties, celebrations and in eloquent acts of sacrifice." -<em>Josefa lloilo

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Marching Forward.

If it hadn't been for the anger, the hurt, and the panic drumming through Yuugi's veins at this very moment, he would have been embarrassed at being the current center of attention.

On steady, sure legs, Yuugi stepped further into the room, the journal still clenched tightly in his left hand. He ignored the curious gazes of the other occupants in the room and kept his gaze locked on Atemu, who had adopted a look of worry and slight resignation.

"Leave us," Atemu spoke, breaking the silence that had descended upon the room. "All of you have your orders."

Yuugi stepped to the side as the men and women quietly left the room. He didn't fail to notice that each of them sent him looks that were filled with admiration and amusement.

When the last person, Bakura, had left, Yuugi shut the door behind him, locking it to make sure that there wouldn't be any unwanted interruptions.

"Young One," Atemu started softly, waving his hand at the empty chair beside him, "I believe we have a lot to discuss."

"Yes," Yuugi replied firmly, walking towards the man who was the current target of his anger. Anger that was, unfortunately, slipping away at the look of open honesty that Atemu was currently wearing.

Slipping into the offered chair, Yuugi laid the journal on the table in clear view, opening it to the last page where the prophecy was written.

"This," Yuugi pointed to the slightly faded words, "this cannot happen."

"I'm afraid it is already happening, Young One." Atemu gave him a sad look. "This war has been predicted for centuries." Atemu laid a hand on the journal. "Leon-"

"You misunderstand what we Seers do," Yuugi interrupted swiftly. "We have these visions, predictions, whatever you want to call them, so specific event can be _stopped. _Leon wrote these words so that we may have a chance at stopping this war."

"There is no chance at stopping this war." Atemu rose from the chair. "You have read the prophecy, Young One. _Over a fellow Seer'_ is one of the lines, yes? What do you think Dartz wanted?"

"Me," Yuugi felt all of the remaining anger drain out of him at that admission, "he wanted me."

"Yes, and I wasn't going to let him have you."

"Even at the cost of war?" Yuugi questioned. "Even at the cost of your own life? You know the prophecy by heart, Atemu. I don't want you to sacrifice anything; not Elysian, not the people, not your body or your soul."

"We don't have a choice, Yuugi." Atemu sounded slightly angry, pained even, and Yuugi knew he was frustrated at having to admit such a thing. He could only imagine what sort of emotions were running through Atemu's mind at that very moment. Even though he'd only known Atemu for a few short few weeks, he knew how much pride Atemu had; as a man, as a husband to be, and as the Emperor of Elysian. Having to go to war knowing that it was going to destroy the peace that Elysian enjoyed must have been a serious blow to Atemu's pride and dignity as an Emperor.

"There must be something," Yuugi murmured, rising from his seat to join Atemu's side. "There must be something that I can do. Maybe-"

"If the next words that come out of your mouth are, 'I should go to Dartz to stop the war' I suggest you kindly keep your mouth closed." Atemu interrupted coldly.

Swallowing back a harsh retort, Yuugi tried another tactic. "What will the people think when they find out? What will they think of you when they find out that you won't trade a single person to prevent a war?"

"What will they think if they found out I'd traded you instead of doing everything in my power to keep you safe? They would think me a coward, Yuugi."

"Not a coward," Yuugi said softly, "but a man who was protecting his country, his people, and himself."

"What about you?" Atemu bent down to look him directly in the eye. "What kind of Emperor - no, future husband - would I be if I could not protect my partner, my lover, my consort? A man is nothing without his wife or husband beside him."

"That's not fair," Yuugi whispered, looking away "You can't say things like that."

"Ah," Atemu grinned, but for once it failed to reach his eyes, "but I can say such things because I'm Emperor and I can say whatever I want."

"Atemu-" Atemu kissed him on the forehead, stopping any protests that were going to come out of his mouth.

"Do not despair, Young One," Atemu whispered against his forehead. "All will be well, I promise,"

Yuugi closed his eyes and leaned into Atemu's strong chest. "You shouldn't make promises that you won't be able to keep, Atemu."

Atemu wrapped his arms around him, pulling him closer. "I wouldn't make them if I couldn't keep them, Young One."

Yuugi snorted bitterly. "You're a fool, Atemu Faenor. You're a stupid fool. What will happen to Elysian if you die? Everyone and everything will fall apart without you-"

"Hush now," Atemu interrupted gently. "I won't let that happen. I'm not going anywhere, alright?"

"You don't know that." Yuugi shook his head in denial. "You don't know what's going to happen out there."

"Believe."

"What?"

"Believe," Atemu repeated patiently. "Believe in me, believe in Elysian, and believe that we're going to make it out of this war in one piece."

Swallowing the sudden lump that had formed in his throat, Yuugi nodded his head. "I can do that, but I want to ask something of you."

"Anything."

"Let me be beside you when you announce this to the people."

"May I ask why?"

Yuugi glanced at the journal. "I am the cause of this war. I will be responsible for your supposed 'sacrifice' as the prophecy so kindly puts it." He quickly placed two fingers to Atemu's lips to stall any protest. "The people will want to know why we are going to war. The least I can do is stand before them to face whatever anger they may have."

"You don't have to do that," Atemu muttered against his fingers. "I don't want you to go through that."

Yuugi pulled his fingers away. "I can't hide away while this is happening, Atemu. I can't hide away from the people during this time. If I am to be a capable ruler, I need to be a part of what's going on."

Atemu stared at him for a long moment before a small smile appeared on his lips. "Very well."

"Very well?" Yuugi repeated, raising an eyebrow. "That's it? No protesting?"

"I've done all the protesting I can with you." Atemu stated, tossing him the first real grin since their talk had started. "You can be very stubborn when you put your mind to something, Young One. That will be both a curse and a blessing in your days as a co-ruler."

Yuugi could only blush and grin at Atemu's words.

* * *

><p>"Their reactions are well-founded, Young One. You are very loved, even though you have not appeared before them as much as they might have liked." Atemu closed the balcony doors, but it did little to muffle the sounds of the sounds of the people below.<p>

"I can see that now, but I thought they would be more upset." True to his word, Atemu had allowed him to stand beside him as he announced to the people that war was upon them. Much to his surprise, the people had been outraged at _Dartz and Pegasus_ rather than at him after they'd found out the exact reason as to why they were marching to war.

"There are many who are, there is no doubt about that," Atemu stated, walking towards him with quick strides. "But despite the brave faces they're putting on, there is no denying they are frightened of the coming days."

"Can you blame them?" Yuugi glanced at the balcony doors, no longer hearing the shouts of the people. "Do you think they will leave the city?"

"Most likely. Despite the fact that leaving is not safe, some of the citizens will flee to the smaller villages near the eastern coasts, while others will seek refuse in the safety of the Temples of Ra."

"That's better, isn't it? Atlantis and Sylvantia's armies won't bother with the smaller villages or the temples."

"They can be razed on the way, Young One." Atemu's lips thinned at the thought. "Atlantis' dragon brigades could easily wipe them out."

"We'll have to make sure that doesn't happen, right? Can't we place a small squad of soldiers in the villages? I'm sure that we have enough soldiers to do that, right?"

"We are already in the process of placing a part of our troops along the borders of Atlantis and Sylvantia, so sending extra squads shouldn't be a problem."

"Good, so what do we do now?"

"You are going to continue your magic and weapons training-"

"But is there nothing else I can do?"

"No, there is nothing that either of us can do. For now, all we can do is wait."

* * *

><p>Keith quickly slipped into a guard uniform. It was a little tight around the shoulders, but it would have to do until he'd gotten out of the palace. Strapping the helmet on, Keith dragged the half naked, unconscious soldier into his old cell, locking the door behind him.<p>

Straightening the uniform once more, Keith grabbed the torch that was on a nearby wall before proceeding up the winding stairway that lead up to the first floor of the palace.

As soon as he'd heard that Pegasus had left him behind, he had pushed down the sting of betrayal and had started to plan a way for him to escape. This was something he quickly figured out wouldn't be easy once he'd seen that the amount of guards had been increased recently. No doubt this meant something big had happened.

Luckily enough, he had caught a break when he'd noticed that the security had grown lax in the last two days. His instincts had been tugging at him, trying to tell him something was wrong, but for once he had ignored them. The only thing on his mind was getting back to Sylvantia.

Reaching the top of the stairs, Keith placed the torch back on an empty handle. He carefully twisted the doorknob, peeking out to make sure the coast was clear, before slipping out.

Closing the door behind him, Keith made his way down the hallway with slow, confident strides, nodding to soldiers passing by.

"Hey!" a voice called out from behind him. Keith froze and carefully glanced over his shoulder to see a female mage standing a few inches away.

"Yes?" Keith responded cautiously.

"Are you already done for the day?" The female mage stepped closer, causing Keith to tense up.

"Done for the day?"

"You know, with guard duty. You have the same green badge I do." The female mage stuck out her hand. "I'm Hathor. I just got assigned guard duty of General Howard of Sylvantia down in the dungeons."

"Nice to meet you." Keith shook her hand while fighting down his amusement. They were going send this little thing down there to guard him? Who in the hell did these Elysians think he was? Some kind of weakling? "And yes, I'm done for the day."

"Oh." Hathor sighed. "Well, I better get down there, then…" Keith cursed mentally. If the damned girl went down there, she would figure out he was gone.

"Wait."

Hathor stopped. "Yes?"

Keith stepped closer to the woman. "There's no need to go down there just yet."

Hathor blinked, giving him an incredulous look. "You're not serious, are you? I may be new at this, but even I know we can't leave a General unguarded!"

Keith trailed his hand up Hathor's arm, eventually making it to her neck. "I'm telling you it'll be fine."

"But-"

Keith pressed the pressure point on Hathor's neck, catching the woman as she fell to the floor. He dragged her across the hall and laid her against the wall.

"Hey! What are you doing!"

Whirling around, Keith saw a guard standing behind him, a hand on the blade placed at his hip.

"I asked you what the hell you were doing with that woman?"

_So much for getting out quietly. _

"Miss Hathor here got in the way so I just put her down for a nap." Keith rose from the floor. "I see that I'm going to have to put you down for one as well." Keith charged towards the guard, moving out of the way as the guard attempted to take his head off with his sword.

He delivered a swift kick to the guard's head, knocking him backwards into the wall. Without bothering to make sure he had knocked out the guard, Keith ran full speed down the hall. He made a swift right and grinned at the sight of the large double doors of the palace exit. Only a few more yards and he would be out.

Keith smirked at the stunned look the guards shot him as he finally passed through the exit and ran down the steps. Getting through the city and past the gates shouldn't be too much of a problem He already considered himself home-free.

Bakura and Marik appeared at the top of the palace steps a moment later, both wearing an expression of triumph and amusement.

"Damn, I didn't know he could run so fast."

"It's the adrenaline rush, Marik. It does wonders."

Marik chuckled, watching Keith until he had disappeared over the bridge. "He's going to kick himself once he manages to figure out that his little 'escape' was too damn easy."

"I doubt that he's going to figure it out. He was too concerned with getting out to even consider that the guards practically let him through."

"Yeah," Marik crossed his arms over his chest, "I just wish I could be there to hear whatever tale he's going to spin to Pegasus."

"Something over-exaggerated. Howard's an arrogant prick."

"Well, it's out of our hands now. Let's report to His Majesty. I'm sure he'll get a chuckle or two out of it."

* * *

><p>"Let me out! Let me out!"<p>

When Christina received no response from the guards outside, she raised her fists to bang on the door.

"Do you hear me? I demand to be let out of here at once!"

"We have orders from His Majesty not to let you out, Your Highness," one of the guards' voices came through the door. "Please, understand."

"No, you don't understand. My father's has been possessed by Leviathan. You must let me out-"

"His Majesty has told us you were going to say something like that, Your Highness, and he heeded us not listen to you."

Snarling, Christina banged on the door again before finally pulling her bruised hands away from the door. She had been stuck in her room for what seemed like weeks, though she knew only days had passed.

Once she had felt well enough, she hadn't hesitate to try and find a way to escape. However, she had quickly learned that it wouldn't be an easy task. As her father had told her, the windows had been marked with curse spells she couldn't break, and it wasn't from lack of trying that she had found out. The frame of the door had also been marked, so she was trapped for the time being.

It was frustrating that she didn't know what was going on outside. Were they already at war? Were Critias, Hermos and Timaeus on the battlefield? Were they fighting for their lives and the lives of their soldiers? Did her people even know what was going on?

Dejected, Christina turned away from the door. There was no use in constantly banging on it if the damned guards were loyal to her father and had no intention of listening to anything she said.

Easing onto the bed, Christina buried her face into her hands and took a deep breath. She had to get out of here, but how?

* * *

><p>"You have to hold still, Critias," Hermos murmured, pressing a wet cloth to the scarred back, earning a hiss from Critias.<p>

"I swear I'll impale him on my sword the moment the opportunity presents itself."

Timaeus chuckled from the bed beside them, though it sounded far from amused. "You'll have to wait your turn, then, my friend."

"Enough, both of you," Hermos took the cloth away to dip it into the water, "unless you want to get another sixty lashes from, His Majesty."

"Do not call him that, Hermos." Timaeus snapped. "He is no King of ours."

"Ah," Hermos chuckled mirthlessly. "He is our King for however long he has Princess Christina in his grasp."

"To threaten to kill his own flesh and blood. The man is truly insane now."

"I think he has always been insane, Critias." Hermos pressed the wet cloth to Critias' back again, earning him another startled hiss. Dartz had forbidden Braham from healing them with magic, so they had to heal the old-fashioned way; with bandages, salve and alcohol.

"Fight my war or be responsible for the death of the only heir Atlantis has been blessed with. The choice is yours." Timaeus rehearsed. "In all my years as a soldier, I have never felt as useless as I do now. I could have prevented this if I had realized what was going on during our stay in Elysian."

"You can't keep blaming yourself, Timaeus." Critias said.

Timaeus snorted. "Someone has to take the blame for this mess."

"Then let it be Dartz!" Critias growled.

"We can't linger on our past mistakes now, Timaeus," Hermos stated firmly. "The only thing we can do now is prepare our troops so we can be ready for the upcoming battles."

"I'm sure Dartz is taking care of that, Hermos," Critias said. "That may be the reason why no one has seen hide or hair of him for the past few days."

"How nice of him to do that," Timaeus drawled sarcastically. "Are you sure we can't find out where Princess Christina is?"

"No, not without Dartz finding out," Critias replied. "We've been backed into a corner."

Timaeus let out a loud curse. "We have to do something, damn it! We can't just sit here and do nothing."

"That's the only thing we can do, Timaeus," Hermos stated. "We're going to war whether we like it or not."

* * *

><p>"I trust you gave your Generals and your daughter the appropriate punishments?"<p>

Dartz bowed deeply. "Yes, Leviathan."

Leviathan gave an approving growl. "And what of your forces? Are they ready to march?"

"Yes."

"Excellent. How are your people taking the news, Dartz? Do you have their support?"

"Their reactions were mixed, my lord. I expected as much from them, though."

Leviathan moved closer to Dartz. "Do not underestimate them, Dartz. It will cost us in the end if you do."

"Yes, Leviathan. I understand."

"Make sure that you do. Now, I have something that will aid you in this war."

Dartz rose from his bowed position as three orbs of light appeared before him. The lights faded away to reveal three large beasts.

"Meet Gigas, Shunoros and Diablos. These monsters are more powerful than the ones you are capable of summoning. With the Orichalcos jewel you can multiply these beasts and create your own monster army. All you have to do is call out their names and they will appear before you."

Dartz lowered his eyes to the ground. "I thank you for this generous gift, Leviathan."

"You can repay me by winning this war and obtaining the Seer. I want him in Atlantis and within my grasp."

* * *

><p>AN : The first battle of the war with Elysian vs Sylvantia and Elysian is fast approaching! Christina is trapped. Yuugi is worried for Atemu. Critias, Timaeus and Hermos are being blackmailed to fight a war they want no part in, and worst of all. Dartz is creating a monster army.

If some of you readers remember, Shunoros and Diablos were monsters that Dartz summoned during his duel with Yami and Kaiba in Waking the Dragons season. So imagine them on the field!

Stay tuned~!


	28. Chapter 28

Valkyria : Enjoy the chapter everyone!

Disclaimer : I claim no rights to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh

Beta'd by : Moondalian.

Current Song : Make A Move by BoA.

* * *

><p><em>"Let us do our duty in our shop or our kitchen, the market, the street, the office, the school, the home, just as faithfully as if we stood in the front rank of some great battle, and we knew that victory for mankind depended upon our bravery, strength, and skill. When we do that the humblest of us will be serving in that great army which achieves the welfare of the world." - Theodore Parker. <em>

**Chapter Twenty-Eight: Empty Cities and First Strikes.**

"I'm back, but I have news you won't want to hear."

Yuugi turned his attention away from his set of knives. "I figured as much. How does it look out there?"

Jou gave him a grim smile. "It's a ghost town. East, West, North, and South are all mostly empty. The only people still around are the ones who really have no other place to go."

Yuugi's heart sunk at the news. Even though it was something he'd known was going to happen, it was still hard to hear. "I see. What about Shizuka and your parents? Are they still in town?"

"No, they're gone." Jou sounded pained and frustrated, and it made Yuugi flinch in sympathy. He couldn't possibly understand how Jou must have felt seeing as how he had his grandfather there in the palace with him.

"I'm sorry you didn't get a chance to say good-bye to them." Yuugi said, giving Jou a weak smile. Thankfully, it was returned. "Did they leave a letter telling you where they were going?"

"Yeah, we have relatives near the west coast so they headed there."

"Do you want to join them?" Yuugi asked. "I'm sure we can gather up some soldiers to escort you-"

"No, it's fine." Jou grinned. "I would just worry about you and grandpa the entire time anyway. And there's the fact that I couldn't leave-" Jou stopped abruptly, a flush quickly blooming across his cheeks.

"Couldn't leave…?" Yuugi tried to continue before it clicked in his mind why exactly Jou had stopped. A sly grin pulled at his lips. "Oh, couldn't leave our resident Dragon Mage, eh?"

"I wouldn't start teasing if I were you, Yuugi Faenor." Jou pointed at the gleaming ring on his third finger. "I've been meaning to ask about that."

"Oh, this?" Yuugi touched the gold and silver ring. "This ring signifies me being a part of the Faenor family."

Jou snorted at his words. "That's such a formal way of saying engagement ring, but I should have known better than to expect anything less from you, buddy."

"At least I'm not the one denying my attraction," Yuugi shot back playfully.

"I'm not denying anything! Jounouchi Katsuya denies nothing!" Jou waves a hand towards the circlet Yuugi was wearing. "And I thought that head piece you're wearing already identified you as a member of the royal family?"

Yuugi consciously reaches up to touch the circlet resting on his forehead. "This just tells the people of my status as a consort. I prefer the ring; it isn't as blatantly obvious."

"Of course," Jou said, "you were never one for flashy things. I don't know how you're going to handle all of the ceremonies and parties once you've become co-ruler."

"I'll deal with it."

"I guess." Jou made his way to the edge of the balcony, staring down at the view of the city it gave. "It's almost time, you know."

"I know."

"Is Atemu going with them?"

"Yeah," Yuugi shook at the thought of Atemu fighting on the battlefield, possibly getting injured or worse, "he's going to lead the troops together with General Aegnor and Bakura."

"Are you worried?"

"No… Well, yes, I am worried. But I know Atemu can take care of himself." Yuugi turned his attention back to his knives so he wouldn't have to see Jou's face when he asked, "And you? Are you worried about Seto?"

"The big, bad, dragon mage? The head of the Council of Val'ista? No, no I'm not worried at all." Jou let out a bitter laugh. "And besides, he has Kisara to watch his back."

Both of Yuugi's eyebrows shot up when he detected the barely hidden jealously in Jou's voice. But that couldn't be right. Jou was never jealous of anyone.

Unless…

"You want to be with him?" Yuugi questioned. "On the battlefield, I mean."

"I'm good enough."

"It's way too dangerous! And didn't you say you would be worried about Grandpa and me?" Yuugi bit his lip. He knew it was a selfish thing to say, but he already had Atemu going out there. He didn't need Jou out there as well.

"I would be worried about you two, but I would feel better if I was out there making sure the enemy doesn't get near you."

"Okay," Yuugi said, pushing down his own bitterness. He didn't have the right to be bitter about this entire situation.

"Yuugi-"

"No, don't say anything, Jou. I understand, really."

"C'mon buddy. Please don't make me feel like a bad guy here. I just don't want to feel useless, you know? I have the skills to fight and I want to use them."

"You do, but how exactly do you plan on going? Do you honestly think that Atemu or Seto is going to let you go?"

"Of course not," Jou snorted, giving Yuugi a smug grin, "but you just let me worry about that."

Yuugi didn't like the sound of that. He didn't like the sound of that at all.

* * *

><p>"This will be your first time in the field. I want you to be careful and remember what I've taught you."<p>

"Of course."

"I'm serious, Ryou. I won't be there to watch your back like I've been doing this past year. If the enemy finds you it'll be kill or be killed."

Ryou slammed the case of potions shut harshly before whirling around to face Bakura. "I know that, Bakura! Don't you think I know that the enemy won't hesitate to kill me regardless of the fact that I am merely a healer? Ishizu has been drilling that fact into my head for the past two and half weeks."

"Good, I'm glad she's doing that. I'm doing it because I'm concerned about you, Ryou." Bakura stepped further into the infirmary. "You are one of my closest friends. I want you to be safe."

Ryou's eyes softened at his friend's admission. "No one is going to be safe out there, Bakura. You've taught me that no one is safe in the field. No one."

"You're right, you're right." Bakura ran a hand through his hair. "I suppose it would be selfish of me to say that I wanted you to stay here…"

"No, it wouldn't be selfish. But you and I both know it's not going to happen."

"Of course it's not going to happen," Bakura muttered unhappily. "Lady Ishtar saw to that."

"Now, now, Bakura. Don't blame people who don't deserve it," Ryou scolded, wearing a tight grin. "If you're going to blame anyone, blame Dartz and Pegasus for initiating this."

"I'll blame all three of them for dragging you out there."

"Of course you will." Ryou soothes. "Now, although I very much appreciate you visiting me since I haven't seen you for quite a while, is there a more important reason as to why you're here?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact," Bakura replies. "Orders from above. You are to make sure that your medical teams are equipped properly."

"Equipped?" Ryou questioned curiously. "With armor and weapons?"

"Weapons are of no use if you can't use the damned things," Bakura said bluntly. "Just make sure they have some kind of protection. Barrier rings, light armor, magic dampeners, anything along those lines."

"Why can't you tell them that?" Ryou asked, sending a pout Bakura's way. "They're already angry because Ishizu chose me as her second-in-command."

"Tell them to get over it. They need to learn to follow your orders, and you need to learn to be more firm."

"I'll make sure to remember that." Ryou said, dryly. "Anything else?"

"Yes," Bakura reached down, picking up the long bow that was sitting next to the wall. "We depart in three days."

"To where?"

"Marik's forces will be heading towards the shores of Elysian while I will be handling the borders of Sylvantia."

"We're splitting up?"

Bakura looked disgruntled. "It's not the best tactic, but we have little choice. We have no idea where Sylvantia or Atlantis is going to show up. So, our forces are going to be spread out, even though Marik and me aren't very happy about it."

"I know," Ryou murmured. "So, the medical teams will be splitting up as well?"

"Yes, Ishizu is coming with me, unfortunately, and you will be going with Marik."

"It would have been better if you, oh I don't know, had told me I was going to be with Marik instead of coming in here and yelling at me."

"I wasn't yelling at you," Bakura shot back. "I was merely telling you to be careful out there, that's all."

Ryou raised his hands and turned back to his cases of potions. "I'm not going to start an argument with you, Colonel."

"Weren't we already arguing?" Bakura asked.

"No," Ryou replied, turning back to give Bakura a wide grin, "that was our every day banter."

Bakura's serious expression turned amused. "Of course, our every day banter." He took a step closer to Ryou to place the long bow into his friend's hands, covering them with his own. "Be careful out there, alright?"

"I'll try if you do." Ryou's hands tightened on the solid wood of the bow. "I will pray for your safety and the safety of your men."

Bakura gave Ryou a small, grateful smile. "Thank you."

* * *

><p>Critias stared at the map covering the table, with the war merely hours away, he thought it would be best to go over their plans one last time. Though, he admitted he was barely paying attention to what was going on around him...<p>

"I don't think it's a good idea to send you to Sylvantia alone, Hermos." Timaeus leaned over the map. "They aren't exactly too fond of us, so there's no telling what they'll do."

"We don't have much of a choice, Timaeus." Hermos propped his feet up on the table that held various maps of Eternia. "Even though Sylvantia has an excellent ground force, they are greatly lacking in the magical department." Hermos winced as he adjusted himself on the chair, the whip lashes still burning occasionally. "And besides, we can't afford to disobey Dartz' orders."

"No, we can't," Timaeus agreed. "Not with Princess Christina still being held hostage."

"It's amazing how no one has asked where she is," Hermos said.

"It's not that surprising." Timaeus shook his head. "Everyone in the palace knows it was Princess Christina who initiated the so-called 'rebellion'. It's not impossible that they think she's either on house arrest or recovering from whatever punishment Dartz handed to her."

"I hope she's alright," Hermos murmured. "It's frustrating that we can't look for her."

"We haven't had the time or the opportunity to do that, what with us still being on the mend and Dartz' new elite guard on the prowl." Timaeus tapped one of the maps. "Not to mention that there's this."

"Yes, I know." Hermos sighed, taking his feet off the table. "What are we going to do?"

"There's nothing we can do…" Timaeus trailed off.

**"**_**You have been quiet, dear one. Quiet and solemn.**_**"** Lenneth caressed his mind. _**"Whatever is the matter? Besides the obvious, of course."**_

_"Can't you read my mind, Lenneth?"_ Critias sent a trickle of amusement down the link he shared with Lenneth. _"It would be simpler and it would save me the trouble of having to explain my feelings."_

_**"Indeed it would," **_Lenneth agreed,_** "but I would prefer it if you told me."**_

_"I feel like a failure,"_ Critias began slowly, almost reluctantly._ "I feel like I have failed my kingdom, my soldiers, Timaeus, Hermos, and Her Highness. If I had just tried harder or had done something different, maybe…"_

_**"You did all that you could, Critias." **Lenneth murmured**. "This is not your fault-"**_

_"It is, Lenneth! Can't you see that?"_ Critias resisted the urge to bury his face in his hands. It would only alert Hermos and Timaeus. _"Atlantis, our home, is going to war with Elysian, one of the most powerful Empires in all of Eternia. And what have I, a General and one of the most powerful soldiers around, done? Nothing! Nothing whatso-"_

_**"I am tired of your self-pity!" **_Lenneth growled._** "When I asked you what was wrong I did not expect you to go on a self-pitying rant!"**_

_"Lenneth-"_

"_**No, enough, child! You, as well as Hermos and Timaeus, need to realize that you did all that you could. All of you need to acknowledge the fact King Dartz has backed you into a corner by holding Princess Christina hostage."**_

_"We have acknowledged that fact," _Critias snapped coldly, finally recovering from his shock_. "It is something we all know all too well."_

"_**Then do not stand here wallowing in despair."**_ Lenneth said. _**"The only path ahead of us now is war."**_

_"That is a path I am not too fond of taking, Lenneth."_

**"But it is the path we must take nonetheless."**

"Critias? Critias!"

Critias looked up to see Timaeus and Hermos staring at him cautiously. "Yes, what is it?"

Hermos frowned at him. "You've been quiet ever since this meeting started. Is there something the matter? Is your back still giving you trouble?"

"No." Critias rose from the chair. "I apologize, I was lost in thought. What did you say?"

"We were talking about Princess Christina," Timaeus replied. "We were also talking about our strategies, which is the reason why _you_ called this meeting for." Timaeus grinned. "So, if you would be so kind as to join us, Critias."

"It would be my honor, Timaeus," Critias said sarcastically. "Our troops have already been outfitted with the proper armor, and they have their marching orders. However, let's go over this one last time. Hermos, you are to head to Sylvantia tonight via transportation gate, while Timaeus will attack the shores of Elysian at sunrise tomorrow."

"And you will attack from the sky," Timaeus finished. "Are you sure you're going to be alright with just twenty troops?"

"I'll be fine," Critias reassured. "And it won't be just twenty troops."

"What do you mean?" Hermos asked. "Did you go to the dragon clans and ask for help?"

"No, Dartz put me in charge of his newly created monster army. That is why I put Timaeus in charge of my own ground troops."

"Monster army?" Hermos paled. "Since when do we have a monster army? We don't have enough summoners to even create a squadron."

"It was a gift," Critias stated, "a blessing from Leviathan."

"A blessing? A blessing?" Timaeus growled. "That's not a-"

"Enough," Critias held up his hand to stall any further protest from Timaeus, "we no longer have the time to argue about this. We're moving out soon so it's best we save all our energy for the upcoming battles."

"We know that." Timaeus crossed his arms over his chest. "What about Seer Motou? What do we do about him?"

"There's nothing we can do about Seer Motou," Critias replied. "His fate is in Emperor's Faenor's hands now. The only thing we need to concentrate on is keeping our men alive and stopping Elysian from reaching our gates."

"Critias-"

Critias shook his head, cutting Timaeus off, "I know you developed a small bond with the Seer, but we need your head in the game. Understood, Timaeus?"

"Yes, I understand."

"Good. You should both get some rest. It might be your last peaceful one."

* * *

><p>"The troops are ecstatic about your return, General Howard."<p>

"As they should be."

"I heard your father was trying to convince His Majesty to stop you from going to battle with Elysian."

Keith turned away from his horse to face Panic, who was leaning against the doorway leading out of the stables. "Is there a point to this conversation, Colonel Panic?" Keith smirked as Panic's black eyes flashed with anger at the mention of his rank.

After he had returned, he'd found out Pegasus had given Panic his rank and full command of his forces; a mistake Pegasus quickly rectified once he'd seen that Keith was well and alive.

"Just checking up on you." Panic stepped further into the stable. "I wanted to make sure our General was in tip top shape for the battles ahead."

"Are you now?" Keith drawled, making sure his disbelief was loud and clear for Panic to hear. "Or did you want to find out if I was a traitor or not?"

Panic shrugged and gave him a nasty smirk. "Are you a traitor, General? You'll have to excuse me when I say I find your story a little suspicious. Not even you could have escaped Elysian that easily."

"I can't make you believe me, Panic." Keith strapped the saddle onto the horse tightly. "I merely found the right opportunity to escape. I do have some patience, unlike some Colonel I know."

"You-"

"Now, now, Panic." Keith chuckled, patting his horse on the neck. "Don't you have other things to worry about? General Hermos is going to be here soon. I'm sure he would be offended if no one was there to greet him at the gates of the city."

"I'll be watching you from here on out, Howard," Panic said, turning on his heels to leave the stables. "I'm not as naive as His Majesty."

_No, _Keith thought._ You're even more of an idiot._

When he had come back mere days before the first battle, the people had been relieved. However, it had caused some of the commanders to be suspicious of him. He couldn't care less if they didn't trust him. The only trust he did needed was Pegasus and Queen Crawford's.

He would continue to bide his time. He would wait until the time was right for him to take Pegasus' head and the Kingdom.

But for now, he had a war to win.

* * *

><p>"Can't sleep?"<p>

"No, I'm too nervous about tomorrow… or a few hours now, really." Yuugi turned to Atemu, who was lying next to him. "Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

Atemu turned to face him. "Your thinking woke me up."

"I'm sorry."

Atemu scooted closer to him, taking him into his arms. "Don't be, I'm sure I'm the reason for your loud thinking."

"You are," Yuugi laid his head on Atemu's naked chest. "What if you don't come back? I can't get the thought of you dying out there out of my mind-"

"I will come back."

"But, what if you don't?"

"I will. Don't you have any faith in me?" Atemu's tone was mostly playful, but Yuugi didn't miss the hurt.

"I do believe in you!" Yuugi said quickly. "I have faith in you. I'm just worried."

"I know you are, Young One." Atemu pulled back to look into his eyes. "I will never leave you alone intentionally. I will fight my hardest to come back to you."

"I know you will, Atemu." Reaching up, Yuugi caressed Atemu's cheek. "Get some sleep, alright? It's only a few hours until dawn."

Yuugi caressed Atemu's cheek bone to lull him back to sleep, only pulling away after he'd seen Atemu breathing deeply enough to indicate that he was sleeping. He allowed his eyes to take in every feature of Atemu's face. From his thin eyebrows down to his strong chin. He wanted to memorize it so he wouldn't forget it. It was a silly, over-dramatic thing to do, but he didn't care. It could be days, weeks, or even months before he'd see Atemu again.

_Stay safe, Atemu, because I..._

* * *

><p>"Any activity?"<p>

"No, Captain Rishid. Everything has been clear-" a sudden explosion caused the small office to shake and the reporting guard to fall to the ground.

Rishid stood from his chair, knocking it over in the process. "What's happening!"

"Captain Rishid! Captain Rishid!" Two guards rushed in with blades in hand. "Atlantis is attacking!"

Cursing loudly, Rishid ran out of the office shouting, "Gather all of the troops! Evacuate all citizens to the underground bunkers!" Not waiting for a reply to his orders, Rishid tore his lance and cloak off their hooks and continued out of the building, his heart beating against his rib cage.

Bursting through the exit, Rishid stumbled to a stop when his foot hit something solid. Looking down, Rishid swallowed at the sight of a dead man and woman who had most likely been caught in the first wave of the attack. Forcing his eyes away from the sad sight, Rishid looked at the destroyed port currently riddled with fire and smoke.

The sight tore at his heart, but he couldn't let his sadness or his growing hatred for the Atlantians cloud his judgement. He'd have to ignore them until General Aegnor arrived.

"It would be best if you surrendered now," a voice suddenly shouted through the smoke.

Rishid tightened his grip on his lance. "Confident, aren't you! Why don't you come out of the smoke and show your face, Atlantian!" Rishid heard the clanking of armor before a scarred face appeared out of the smoke. "Identify yourself! I want to know the name of the man I'm about to kill."

"General Timaeus of Atlantis." Timaeus held up his blade, pointing it at Rishid. "I'll ask you once more; surrender yourself, your troops and this city."

"Never!" Rishid stepped forward. "I will never surrender to the likes of you!"

"Very well," Rishid's eyes narrowed as he watched Timaeus' blade glow a dark, ominous red. "Fight hard then, my friend, because I will not stop until this city is mine."

* * *

><p>"It's too quiet. I don't like this."<p>

"Calm down, everything is going to be fine, Roy." The guard Apollo shifted his weight, leaning against the Sylvantian gate. "Colonel Firimar is on his way now."

Roy released a displeased grunt. "We shouldn't have to rely on Colonel Firimar and his Shadow Units. We should be able to defend the borders ourselves."

"Yeah, I know. But we're at war now, so this isn't the time to be so prideful about getting help."

"Me, prideful? That's funny coming from you-"

_"Ahhhhh! Help!"_

Apollo and Roy glanced at each other at the cry. "What in the world-"

_**"Pass through the Walls! Stalagmite!" **_

Apollo glanced down in alarm at the earth rune appearing under them. "Get out of the way! It's coming up-" Apollo didn't have time to push his friend out of the way as a sharp pillar shot up from the ground, impaling Roy.

"Roy!" Apollo stumbled back at the sight of his now dead friend, dropping his staff in the process.

"Is this all!" an arrogant voice cried out, causing a shocked Apollo to turn and try to find the source. There, standing a few feet away, was General Howard of Sylvantia with several Atlantian and Sylvantian soldiers behind him. A few of the Elysian soldiers rushed past him with their weapons raised. Apollo could only watch in horror as the Sylvantian General simply waved a hand to unleash wild earth magic, killing them all in the process.

At this point, Apollo's training kicked in, forcing his fear to the back of his mind. He rose from the ground, staff in hand once more. "Sylvantian!" Apollo swallowed his rising fear back down when he saw Howard turn towards him.

"Oh," Keith chuckled, stepping forward, "what do we have here? A pitiful guard who thinks he can face me?" Keith took a step forward, causing the ground beneath him to crack. "Do you know who I am, boy!"

"A dead man! That's who you are, Sylvantian!" With his heart beating fiercely against his chest, Apollo charged.

* * *

><p>"Your Majesty! General Aegnor! There's an urgent message from Haven City! Atlantis has started their attack."<p>

Opening his mouth to give the messenger an order, Atemu was stopped when the transportation rune flared to life again, revealing another messenger.

"Your Majesty! There's an urgent message from Walled City of Fey! Atlantis' dragon brigade has started to raid the city! They request reinforcements."

"Very well." Atemu turned to Marik. "Are your troops almost through the gate, Marik?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. Only three hundred troops still remain. Shall I send them to Fey?"

"Yes, do so. What of Colonel Firimar?"

"Colonel Firimar has departed for the border of Sylvantia with his troops via transportation gate. It is possible that he has already engaged the enemy."

"I see. Make your way to Haven City and help Captain Rishid."

"Yes, Your Majesty. What of Fey?"

"I will go to Fey with your reinforcements and my own troops." Atemu turned to the messenger who had informed him of Fey's plight. "Inform High Lord Kaiba to ready his Dragon Brigade and tell him to meet me at the gates of the city. Also, have him gather mages at the gate to ready a transportation gate."

The messenger, Oswald, nodded. "At once, Your Majesty!"

"Good luck, Your Majesty." Marik spoke up, laying a hand on his shoulder and giving it a brief squeeze before pulling away. "I'll pray for your safety."

"Good luck to you as well, Marik."

As Marik's footsteps faded away, Atemu took a deep breath and looked up at the stairs leading up to his and Yuugi's chamber. He would make sure this war ended as quickly as possible. The sooner it ended, the sooner he could marry Yuugi and rule Elysian with him for the rest of their days.

Reluctantly turning away, Atemu took sure, confident steps towards the battlefield where his enemies were waiting.

* * *

><p>AN : Okay, folks! At long last the war has started! More action coming up in Chapter Twenty-Nine. See you then


	29. Chapter 29

Valkyria : Hello! New chapter is here. Enjoy reading.

Disclaimer : I claim no rights to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh!

Beta'd by : Moondalian

Current Song : Waltz of the Damned by Yoko Shinomura

* * *

><p><em>"Let us learn our lessons. … Never believe any war will be smooth and easy or that anyone who embarks on that strange voyage can measure the tides and hurricanes he will encounter. The statesman who yields to war fever must realize that once the signal is given, he is no longer the master of policy but the slave of unforeseeable and uncontrollable events… incompetent or arrogant commanders, untrustworthy allies, hostile neutrals, malignant fortune, ugly surprise, awful miscalculations."<em> - _Winston Churchill. _

Chapter Twenty Nine : From All Sides - Elysian.

The sound of low, painful growls and the cracking of bones filled the air of the tent as Bakura shifted back to his human form. Bakura removed blood-stained chakrams from his hips, and knives from his arms with shaking hands.

Dropping them onto the table, he made his way to the cot that looked more comfortable than it probably was in his exhausted state. He flung himself onto it, wiping the drying blood from his mouth and allowed his throbbing arm to lie across his stomach. His entire body felt heavy with exhaustion from constantly shifting to his numerous cat forms and using his shadow magic.

He should have known better than to think pushing back Sylvantia and Atlantis would be a simple task. During the first seven days of the war, he'd lost one-hundred men to General Hermos' Atlantian Mages, and General Howard's ruthless earth magic and heavy cavalry, fifteen of whom had been from his personal Shadow Units.

In return, his own forces had managed to wipe out half of Colonel Panic's archers, which served as a morale boost amongst his men. Even though devastating the archers was quite an accomplishment, Bakura wasn't foolish enough to think it had done any real damage.

No, if he wanted to wreak true havoc, then he needed to kill one of the big fish, and he knew the perfect target was Colonel Panic. If he killed Panic, it would cause a small crack within the chain of command, causing small arguments to break out about who would take over Panic's men for the duration of the war.

He had no doubt that Howard would snatch up Panic's men to add to his own forces, which would only infuriate the lower-ranked commanders. They would think Howard was being greedy and wouldn't trust him with any more men than he already had. One thing he loved about Sylvantians was their extreme paranoia, and Howard was at their top of their list at the moment. They probably weren't foolish enough to believe Howard had escaped on his own.

All of this anger and mistrust between them would cause their chain of command to shatter completely, giving him and his forces the perfect opportunity to wipe them out in a few calculated moves.

There was only one, small, insignificant problem.

General Hermos.

The Atlantian would no doubt try to keep it all together, not only for his own sake but for the sake of his men as well, thus, ruining his plans.

Shaking his head, Bakura quickly pushed Hermos to the back of his mind; he would deal with the Atlantian when the time arrived. For now, he had to deal with Panic.

The flaps at the entrance to his tent moved, causing Bakura to ready his body to shift again. Before he could allow the transformation to occur, a familiar head popped in.

"Colonel Firimar?"

"Ishizu," Bakura relaxed his muscles, "what can I do for you?"

Ishizu stepped further into the tent, a small bowl of water and a bag of medical supplies in her hands. "I am here to check up on you, since you find it so tedious to visit the medical tents."

Bakura chuckled dryly. "Forgive me if I'm not in the mood to be picked and prodded at."

Ishizu carefully avoided the table with his blood-stained chakrams. "It would be best to clean those before the blood becomes too hard to remove." Ishizu laid a box of medical supplies on a table covered with maps. "Sit up and let me take a look at you."

Bakura complied, grunting as his muscles protested the movement. "I'll be fine. I just need some rest."

"You won't be able to rest with those scratches covering your body." Ishizu turned towards him with a wet towel and potion in her hand. Bakura didn't fail to see how slow and shaky her movements were. He rose from the cot and gently grabbed her arm, shaking his head sharply as she opened her mouth to protest as he sat her down on the cot.

"You need your rest more than anyone else, Ishizu." he sat down next to her. "Especially after-"

"Please," Ishizu shook her head, "I don't want to discuss this." She turned to him with the towel and the potion in her hands. "Just let me-"

"Work yourself to death so you can forget about Rishid's death?" Bakura shook his head sadly. "It's not going to help anyone if you collapse from exhaustion, Ishizu. And besides, just think how angry Rishid would be if he were here."

"But he's not," Bakura allowed Ishizu to lean closer to him to start cleaning his scratches. "He's gone, taken from us far too soon to our liking. I have no idea what I'm going to tell Malik."

"You'll tell him the truth." Bakura winced as Ishizu pressed too hard on one of the deeper scratches across his shoulder. "You'll tell him Rishid died with honor."

"Yes, of course," Bakura sighed as he felt the cool liquid of the potion on his skin, "though, I doubt it will do any good to tell him that. He and Rishid were quite close as children."

Bakura nodded in understanding. "It'll hit him hard, and there is a chance he'll try and get revenge in some way, shape, or form."

"I will deal with it when the time comes." Ishizu placed a hand on his healed shoulder. "Your skin is stretched and too soft, Colonel. How many times have you shifted, today?"

"More times than I care to remember."

"I take it your magical system has been depleted?"

"Unfortunately, those Sylvantians and Atlantians are like flies. I swipe two and four more appear in their place."

Ishizu released a worried sigh. "Forgive me for saying this, but we have greatly underestimated them."

"No," Bakura rose from the cot and stretched his back, moaning when he heard the bones crack, "Sylvantia's so called strategy is merely to hit and run. We have only underestimating the power of Atlantis' mages."

"Can we get rid of them?"

"We can, but we need the best mages we have." Bakura crossed his arms over his chest. "No others will do."

"Do you have any in mind?"

"Yes-"

"Colonel Firimar," a rough voice spoke from outside the tent, "I have a report for you. May I enter?"

"Yes."

A tall, heavily-muscled soldier entered the tent. "Captain Kylos of the Fifteenth regiment reporting, sir."

"Kylos of the Fifteenth?" Bakura crossed his arms. "What does the Archery Corp have to report to me? Major Adrian of my Shadow Units is in control of your forces."

Pain flashed across Kylos' eyes for a brief moment. "I regret to inform you that Major Adrian has passed to the Ethereal Realm."

"When?" Bakura took a step closer to Kylos. "When did it happen?"

Kylos' gaze lowered to the ground. "A half hour pass, Colonel. He died from his wounds." Kylos coughed awkwardly. "The reason I'm here is to ask you about our chain of command-"

"We will get to that soon enough, Kylos. I need you to tell me who, exactly, killed Adrian."

"Colonel Panic of Sylvantia," Kylos responded. "Adrian was struck by Colonel Panic's morning star several times," Kylos growled. "Panic is a sadistic bastard, Colonel. By the time I arrived, he had already struck Adrian three times. I managed to wound him with an arrow before he escaped."

"I see," Bakura muttered. "Thank you for informing me about this, Captain Kylos. As of this moment, you are the new commander of the Archer Corp."

Kylos saluted. "I thank you, Colonel. Though I wish it were under better circumstances."

"So do I, Captain. So do I." Bakura pushed back the pain and denial he felt about Adrian's abrupt death. Before the war had broken out, Adrian had been planning his retirement from the Shadow Unit so he could spend more time with his family. Bakura swallowed at the thought of telling Adrian's wife.

"Colonel, I have one last report to give."

"…Go on,"

"General Howard and General Hermos are starting to move again."

"Where?"

"Southeast. We think they're trying to march to the Walled City of Fey, where their other forces reside. Colonel Panic and two unidentified soldiers have been spotted near the camps."

"Arrogant prick," Bakura hissed, outraged. "He thinks he can waltz around like he hasn't killed one of my most valued men." Bakura turned away to reach for his chakrams. "Here are your orders. Tell Captain Artemis to gather most of the troops and surround General Hermos and Howard's forces. Do not let them escape."

"And Colonel Panic?"

Bakura tightened his grip on his blood-stained chakrams. "I will handle him and his little soldiers."

His calculated plan of destroying Sylvantia's chain of command disappeared under his despair and anger at his friend's death. Not only was he going to break their chain of command, he was going to wipe it out.

* * *

><p>"Your Majesty, behind you!"<p>

Whirling around, Atemu quickly stuck his blade in the ground and sent out several tendrils of shadow magic towards the Orichalcos Gigas, bringing the beast down to its feet. Atemu quickly retrieved his blade afterwards and severed its head.

Watching the Gigas shatter, Atemu sheathed his blade. "Thank you, Reyna."

Reyna nodded, putting away her bow and arrow. "No need for thanks, Your Majesty." Reyna looked around. "Looks like this area is clear for now."

"Yes, but we have yet to find the summoner responsible for these monsters."

Reyna bit her lip, giving Atemu an apologetic look. "That is true, unfortunately. And I was positive that he or she would be here. This area was one of the most active ones."

Atemu gave Reyna an exhausted, reassuring grin. "It is alright, Reyna. I'm positive that we will catch him or her soon enough." Atemu looked around grimly. "Get a body count and burial started. I'm going to head to the next area."

"Alone?" Reyna stepped forward. "I can't allow that, Your Majesty. High Lord Kaiba gave me strict orders not to leave you alone."

"I will be fine, Reyna." Atemu chuckled, looking to the sky. "High Lord Kaiba believes that I cannot take care of myself. I believe that I have proven him wrong, have I not?"

Reyna nodded reluctantly. "Indeed you have, Your Majesty. But please, I implore you to take at least a couple of mages or soldiers with you into the next area. We may have driven most of Atlantis into the fields outside, but that doesn't mean some of them couldn't have managed to hide themselves away."

"Captain Reyna!"

Reyna turned and scowled. "What is it?"

"Monsters have been spotted in the East Section! We're requesting immediate reinforcements! Our tracker teams believe that the summoner is in the area."

"Seven days we have been searching for that damned summoner." Reyna growled. "Those tracker teams better be right!"

"No time to wonder if they are," Atemu said. "Let's head to the East Section and find out for ourselves."

* * *

><p>With a wave of his hand, Jounouchi used his ice magic to clear away the small fires that remained in the business district of Fey. Fortunately, the squadron he had been assigned to had arrived in time to stop the assault the Atlantian mages had begun.<p>

But after pushing them back, Jounouchi had been disappointed to see that the damage had already been done. Shops had been burned to the ground, fountains had been destroyed, and carts had been knocked over, their contents free for the taking.

"Quit daydreaming and put those damned fires out, Ice boy!"

Snarling, Jounouchi gently pushed out a wave of ice magic, putting out the last of the fires. It was just his luck that he'd gotten an arrogant asshole as a commander. He had managed to successfully sneak into the troops that the King and Seto were leading, though he was pretty sure he was going to get into trouble once they found out he had knocked out a guard and had stolen a uniform to get in.

Ah well, no use worrying about it now.

"Oh geez, watch the ice magic, newbie! We're trying to put out the district, not freeze it over!"

Finally fed up with James, Jounouchi snapped, "Why in the hell am I on clean up duty anyway, James? I could be useful outside right now!"

James laughed roughly. "Because you're a newbie, and I'll be damned if High Lord Kaiba and His Majesty are going to get on my ass about sending a newbie out into battle."

"I'm not a damned newbie, old man!" Jounouchi placed a hand on the blade strapped to his waist. "You saw what I could do. I even saved your ass five times!"

"And I thank you for all five times, but that doesn't negate the fact that we were ordered here for the time being. I'll admit that you're good with the blade, but it doesn't mean you're not still a newbie." James waved a hand around the ruined business district. "You'll get a chance to fight to your heart's content, but for now we are needed here, understood?"

"Yeah, I understand, but..." Jounouchi clenched his fists. The whole reason he'd snuck out was to make sure Seto and Atemu were going to be okay.

A loud roar caused Jounouchi to look up into the sky to see several dragons passing by. He squinted his eyes and tried to spot Kisara in the mass, but no such luck.

"The Dragon Brigade," James stated with a hint of awe. "I never get tired of seeing them."

"Where are they going?"

"They're probably following Atlantis' Dragon Brigade to the fields outside the city." James shook his head as he opened his mouth. "Sorry, kid, but you can't-"

"All soldiers report to the Eastern Sector! All soldiers report to the Eastern Sector!"

"Well," James grabbed his spear from the ruined fountain, "you heard the man. Let's move out."

Jounouchi glanced up towards the sky one last time. _"Good luck, Seto."_

* * *

><p>Seto tightened his grip on Kisara's back as she tossed her head back and blasted another dragon and its rider out of the sky. Holding up one hand, Seto unleashed several large bolts of lightning, taking out three more dragon riders.<p>

_"I remember telling you to hold on!"_ Kisara breathed out through their link while diving._ "I can't waste any time catching you if you fall off."_

**_"I have no intention of doing such a thing."_** Seto shot back, sending another rider to his death._** "Just concentrate on taking them down."**_

_"Of course- By the God's it's-"_

"It's what?" Seto looked ahead and sucked in a sharp breath at the sight of a magnificent black dragon. A rider with midnight-blue armor sat upon its back.

_"A Descendant."_

**"A Descendant?"**

Kisara whimpered through their link, and Seto sent her a wave of comfort._ "A Descendant is a dragon of royal blood. They are heirs to the legendary, holy dragons that flew beside the Gods themselves. Their power is unmatched. Seto, I…I cannot advance."_

"Kisara?" Seto flinched when he felt a wave of fear shoot down their link. He had never felt so much fear come from her before. It was slightly frightening to think that something could scare Kisara so deeply.

_"I cannot fight her! It is blasphemy! It is a sin for my race to fight against the Descendants.""_

Seto glanced at the black dragon who was staring at them with piercing, amber eyes. Those eyes held a power and wisdom he'd never seen before; not even in Canaan and Kaeana's eyes. Breaking their staring contest, Seto turned his attention to the dragon's silent rider. The man _looked _powerful in his own right.

"Identify yourself!" Seto roared over the wind.

"I am General Critias of Atlantis. I am of noble blood. I am a speaker of Dragons. I am a pure, true Dragon Mage unlike yourself, boy."

Seto snorted. "A true dragon mage? If anyone is a true dragon mage, it's me, not you!"

Critias chuckled darkly. "Is that so? You accidentally bonded with the little one, did you not? I can see it from a mile away. You initiated the Rite of Ascension what…? Ten years ago? Your bond feels young and ripe."

"Shut up!"

"It's amusing that someone with so much power thrumming through his veins is so immature." Critias' gaze slid down to Kisara. "I am truly sorry that you had to bond with someone of such arrogance, young dragon."

"Mind your tongue, human!" Kisara growled. "Rest assured that I will devour your flesh between my jaws when this battle is concluded."

"You have fire, little one!" the black dragon growled, amused. "But I very much doubt you are going to do anything with my bonded, much less devour him. Now your bonded on the other hand…"

"I will not allow you to hurt him! Descendant or not."

"You would commit sacrilege for a human? You would dare fight me, a Descendant?"

"You fight for your human just as I do," Kisara growled. "You chose to participate in this war of humanity, just as I do. Descendant or not, I will fight you until my last breath leaves my body."

"Brave words, little one. But let us see if you can back them up."

* * *

><p>Ryou closed the entrance to the medical tent as tightly as possible; anything to block out the sounds of magic, dying screams, and the shrill whistle of arrows. It had been eight long days since the war had started, but it felt more like an eternity. The sounds of battle never seemed to stop.<p>

"Master Lindel, are you alright?"

Ryou swallowed and turned to his assistant. "I'm quite alright, Dimitri. How are the patients doing?"

"All of them managed to pull through thanks to your instructions." Dimitri grinned. "You're becoming more and more like Lady Ishizu every day, Master."

Ryou chuckled. "I wonder if that's a compliment or an insult."

"Take it as a compliment." Dimitri came to stop beside him, frowning at the distant sounds of screams. "Atlantians are relentless, aren't they? They've been going at it for days now. It's like they're possessed or something."

"Yes," Ryou's lips thinned at the thought, "though I'm more worried about General Timaeus. I've never seen someone as strong as him."

Dimitri made a noise of agreement. "Neither have I. It's like staring a combined version of General Aegnor and Colonel Firimar in the face. I still can't believe he managed to kill Captain Rishid."

Ryou flinched at the blunt reminder. He had been the one to operate on Rishid, only to lose him three days later. The wounds inflicted on Rishid had been too deep for even him to heal. He never felt as much of a failure as he had then. He would never be able to look Ishizu in the eye again. Not after he'd failed to save her beloved brother.

The entrance to the tent rustled and Marik poked his head in. "Everything alright in here?"

"Yes, General, everything is fine in here," Ryou replied. "What about you and your troops? Any injures?"

"No, praise the Gods for that blessing." Marik stepped further into the medical tent. "How are the injured?"

"They're doing well, General," Dimitri spoke up. "Some of them will definitely be on their feet within a day or so."

"Eager to get back to the battle." Marik chuckled. Dimitri turned as one of the patients called out for help. The assistant gave them an apologetic look before scurrying off.

"How are you?" Marik asked softly. "Really?"

"I am well. A little tired, but well enough," Ryou replied.

Marik placed a hand on his shoulder. "I don't entirely believe that, Master Lindel. I can see you' still feel guilty over Rishid." Marik squeezed his shoulder. "Trust me when I say that there was nothing more you could have done. He died an honorable death."

"He was Ishizu's brother." Ryou whispered. "After all she's done for me, the least I could have done was save her brother's life. What am I going to say to her when I see her again?"

"She won't blame you, Master Lindel. Ishizu knows that you can't always save the life of your patient. She will know you tried your hardest to save his life. She is the one who turned you into the stubborn and willful healer you are today."

"Indeed she did." Ryou smiled fondly and decided it was time to change the subject. "Any word about him yet?"

"No," Marik scowled heavily, "I haven't seen hide nor hair of General Timaeus, though I'm sure he's stumbling around the city heavily injured. I made damned sure of that."

Ryou was between frowning and grinning at how smug Marik sounded at the thought of Timaeus most likely dying in the streets of Haven City. As a healer he initially felt guilty about hearing about a man dying; enemy or not. But he could make an exception when it came to General Timaeus.

"So, what happens now?" Ryou asked curiously.

"We continue to press Atlantis back, though I have a feeling they will be getting reinforcements all too soon."

"Do we need reinforcements?"

Marik grimaced. "Yes, but I'm afraid we can't spare them at the moment. With the monster attacks in Fey and General Howard's forces near Sylvantia, I'm afraid we are on our own for now."

"I can lend you a hand if it becomes necessary." Ryou scowled when Marik chuckled. "I am serious, Marik!"

"I know, I know." Marik ruffled his hair. "But, your place is here. You are a healer, Ryou. Your job is to save lives, not to take them."

"Nevertheless," Ryou began firmly. "I will take them if I must. Healing is not my only talent."

Marik nodded. "Bakura saw to that. He would be proud to hear what you are saying now."

Ryou flushed at the praise. "Is he alright? Have you heard from him lately?"

"No," Marik replied grimly. "There has been no news from the Sylvantian border, but I expect word soon."

Ryou's heart twisted at how grim Marik sounded. He hoped Bakura wasn't getting himself into too much trouble.

* * *

><p>"You don't like it?"<p>

"No, it's beautiful," Yuugi touched the winged crown sitting in a velvet-covered box. It was a smaller version of the one Atemu wore, except it bore an emerald to represent that he was a time mage.

"Thank you for bringing it to me, Mai."

Mai patted him on the shoulder. "It was no trouble at all. I was already looking for you."

"Oh, is something the matter?"

Mai smiled. "No, Sugoroku asked me to find you. He's quite worried about you. And to be frank, so am I."

"I'm sorry," Yuugi's stomach twisted at the thought of worrying his grandfather and the people around him. "I'm not trying to worry anyone."

"I know," Mai soothed. "You miss him, don't you?"

"Every day. Has there been any word?"

"Yes, Captain Reyna sent me a message saying His Majesty is quite well, and vigorous in battle."

Yuugi grinned at the news. "I hope he isn't giving his troops any trouble." He frowned suddenly. "Has there been any news about… You know...?"

"No," Mai frowned sternly, "I doubt there will be considering no one knows that Jounouchi snuck out. Mahad was quite displeased when he found out. Seto will be furious if he catches him on the battlefield."

"He will be angry," Yuugi agreed, chuckling. "But, he'll also be relieved that Jounouchi is safe and sound. Jounouchi excellent with the sword so he should be safe until they find each other."

"Mahad told me he's impressed with Jounouchi's skills, but the fact remains that he should not be out there. He should be here with you. He is your guardian, isn't he?"

Yuugi frowned in confusion. "Guardian?"

"Sugoroku told me you and Jounouchi have been friends since childhood," Mai said. "Jounouchi has always been there for you, hasn't he?"

"Yes, he has."

"Then I assume he was your guardian and protector when you were growing up, and even now."

Yuugi chuckled. "Jounouchi is my very best friend in this world, Mai. I don't really consider him my guardian. Did Seers have guardians?"

"The children did." Mai placed her hand on her chin in thought. "Our records say child Seers were given guardians because of their vulnerability during visions. It also depended on what element they were blessed with."

"Were many of them blessed with dangerous elements?"

"Yes, it seemed a lot of them were blessed with shadow, sealing, time or fire."

"Shadow, Sealing, Time and Fire," Yuugi repeated. "All the elements that take long periods of time to control."

"It truly was a wonder to see so many Seers and Guardians about back then." Mai smiled sadly. "I wonder if they ever forgave us for all we did."

"I'm sure they did. But Mai, neither Atemu nor Emperor Aknamknanon's reign has anything to do with the destruction of the Seers."

"I know, but it was still Elysian's fault no matter whose reign it is. This was the Seers' home and sanctuary, and they were killed here. We know Leon didn't have to leave us the prophecy about the war, but he did and we will always be eternally grateful. That's why we treat you like the precious person you are, Yuugi."

Yuugi's heart clenched at the despair he heard in Mai's voice. "Mai..." He'd always had a feeling that Atemu and the Council felt that way about it, but never to this extent.

Feeling humbled, Yuugi reached forwards and grasped Mai's hand in his own. "Thank you, Mai, but something has been bothering me since this whole war started. What do Dartz and Pegasus want with me? What happened when they disappeared?"

Mai's lips thinned. "Dartz said Leviathan wants you, for a reason that still eludes us. As for Pegasus; he is Dartz' puppet in this whole fiasco."

"Leviathan? The Atlantian Sea God and one of the Trinity? What could Leviathan possibly want with me?"

"I don't know, but we've marched to the fields of battle to make sure it doesn't happen. No matter what we will not allow Dartz or Pegasus to lay a finger on you."

"And I believe Atemu won't allow that to happen, but what about Leviathan? Do you really stand a chance if he shows up? I remember the legends. Leviathan has a close link with this world through the royal family of Atlantis. He could appear at any time."

Much to Yuugi's surprise, Mai shook her head. "That's not exactly true. The legends also state that Leviathan and Ra fell into a deep slumber to recover from the Ethereal War. I have no doubt Leviathan is much too weak to come into this world completely without any help."

"So we don't have to worry about him?"

"Not for the time being," Mai replied. "We are safe for now."

"What about Pegasus, then? Can't we convince him to join our side?"

"Pegasus joined Dartz for the sole reason of saving his wife, Cecelia, who has a lung disease. Dartz gave him a cure in return for participating in the war."

"No luck there," Yuugi murmured. He wasn't going to push turning to Pegasus. Even he knew a King or Emperor's word was his bond.

"Atemu would be proud of you," Mai said softly. "Seeing you here, trying to figure out a way to help."

"Of course, this is my fault after all." Yuugi winced when Mai sent him a glare for his words. He pressed on nonetheless. "I don't want to sit here and wait for him to come home. I want to help in some way, shape, or form."

"You're helping by staying here and being safe. Atemu can concentrate fully on the battlefield knowing you're here, safe and sound."

"I hope you're right."

* * *

><p>AN : The war has started, and all the players are on the field, but what does Leviathan really want with Yuugi? Keep reading to find out.


	30. Chapter 30

Valkyria : Hello and Welcome to Chapter Thirty of Emperor's Prophecy. I want to sincerely say that we are nearing the end of the story. Which means that Forbidden Love and Shining Light are one step closer to being published! So, sit back and enjoy the chapter.

Beta'd by : Moondalian.

Current Song : Flower by BoA

Disclaimer : I claim no rights to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh

* * *

><p><em>"But where life is more terrible than death, it is then the truest valour to dare to live." - Sir Thomas Brown. <em>

Chapter Thirty: From All Sides - Sylvantia and Atlantis

"General Timaeus! Where are you going? You haven't been cleared to return to the field. It was a blessing from Leviathan that we even managed to find you in that alley."

Carefully adjusting his armor to avoid the burns he had suffered at the hands of General Aegnor, Timaeus ignored the screaming healer and placed his helmet on his head.

"General Timaeus-"

"Enough, Alyssa," Timaeus cut in gruffly. "I have an army to lead. I do not have the time or the patience to be sitting in a medical tent."

"Those wounds have made you delirious." Alyssa sent him an icy glare that reminded him of Critias on a good day. "You can't honestly think you're going back out there."

Timaeus snorted. "As if you could stop me." Timaeus started for the exit when his wrist was caught. He glanced over his shoulder. "It would be in your best interest to let go of me."

"In my best interest?" Alyssa spluttered. "It would be in your best interest if I didn't let you go. If you go out there with those wounds, you'll die."

Timaeus' eyes softened as he saw how worried Alyssa looked. He placed his hand over hers. "There is always a chance that a soldier will die, especially in war."

"I know that!" Alyssa looked pained. "Do you think I don't know that? Do you know how many men and women I've seen pass into the Ethereal Realm? Dozens! And by this war's end, that number will be in the thousands. But I will make sure you won't be one of them."

"You can't control Fate, Alyssa." Timaeus smiled sadly. "The Gods will call me to come home when the time comes."

"Don't talk like that!" Alyssa pulled her hand away. "Don't talk like you're walking to your death! I won't have it."

Timaeus chuckled mirthlessly. "Spoken like a true master healer." Timaeus stepped away. "I must depart now, Alyssa. I will be back soon."

Alyssa's shoulders slumped in defeat, but the determination stayed in her eyes. "Very well. Stay safe, you hear?"

"I will try," giving Alyssa one last wave, Timaeus stepped out of the tent to see ten of his men forming in a single line as if they'd known he'd be stepping out right at that moment.

"General Timaeus, sir," one of the soldiers, Blair, stepped forward. "It is good to see you in good health."

"Thank you, but what are all of you doing out here? Some of you were supposed to be on the front lines."

Blair saluted sharply. "We were worried about you, sir, we couldn't fight at our best as long as we didn't know if you were okay or not."

Pushing back the feeling of warmth at that statement, Timaeus frowned. "Nevertheless, your duty is to fight for Atlantis. Even if I should fall in battle, you must continue on without me. I clearly remember this being the first thing I taught all of you."

Timaeus forced back his grin as he saw the flickers of amusement and relief in his soldiers' eyes. It was good to see that some of his own men had remained loyal to him rather than Dartz.

"Your orders, sir?" Blair asked.

"We are going to regroup and attack the Elysian forces. We are going to take this city and fields surrounding it. By the end of this battle, Haven City will become Atlantian territory."

Timaeus grinned darkly as the soldiers cheered and started to gather their weapons and supplies. Taking the city was one of his main objectives, and not just because of his orders. He was going to find General Aegnor and make him pay for what he'd done.

* * *

><p>Hermos opinion of Howard was that he was spoiled, arrogant, and incredibly selfish. How could a man with such a high-ranking position within the military have all of those negative traits while not getting killed by his own soldiers?<p>

Hermos figured Howard's men and lower-ranked commanders were either too damned cowardly to stand up to him, or that they needed him too much to bother to kill him.

_Definitely has to be the second reason. _Hermos thought ruefully_. Can't be anything other than that. _

From the time he had arrived on the eve of the war to this very moment, Hermos' respect for the Sylvantian soldiers had grown and grown until he'd stared to think of them as his own men. He saw the determination in their eyes before they set out, and the pride and honor when they died.

"General Hermos?"

Hermos turned to his left to see a Sylvantian mage - one of the few - staring at him with wariness, that wouldn't do. He pulled his lips into a grin, clapping his hand on the younger man's shoulder.

"What is it?"

"Are you well? You're usually more talkative during our marches."

Hermos raised an eyebrow causing the young mage to flush. "Is that a polite way of telling me I talk too much?" He could just imagine Critias and Timaeus roaring with laughter at his words. They always told him he talked too much, and this proved it, unfortunately.

"N-No! No, sir! I-I was just saying that you're usually more cheerful -despite the circumstances-"

Hermos chuckled roughly. "I'm fine. I just have a lot on my mind at the moment."

"Oh…"

"Nothing to worry about." Hermos tossed the young mage a cheerful grin. "What we need to worry about-"

_"Fire spell! Level A! Incoming!"_

Quick on his feet, Hermos summoned a shield of light just in time to deflect the spell, though the force of it pushed him back. He regained his footing and looked ahead to see hundreds of Elysian soldiers coming their way.

"Forward men! Clear the way!" Hermos roared over blasts of magic and arrows coming their way. "Push the Elysians back!"

"General, there are more men coming through a transportation gate! We're going to need reinforcements."

Hermos glared at the soldier next to him. "The men we have are more than enough. Don't let fear blind you!"

"General-"

"Enough! Prepare yourself, soldier. They're upon us."

"S-Sir!"

Gripping his blade tightly, Hermos charged. He would do whatever it took to reach Fey with a large amount of his men alive and well. He would do whatever it took to reach Critias and Timaeus.

* * *

><p>"General Howard, I must congratulate you on a job well done thus far. I never expected us to take out so many of Elysian's forces this soon."<p>

Keith leaned over the map and grunted in response. "I must admit, it's thanks to General Hermos and his forces that we managed to do any significant damage."

Commander Freyja snorted. "How surprising, you admitting that the so called 'help' is actually doing a good job. I thought you didn't like Atlantians? I thought they were too high and mighty for you."

"I have little love for them, but you seem to take it to an entirely different level, Freyja." Keith chuckled darkly. "Don't think I haven't heard about the poison in one of the mages' wine the other day." he smirked when Freyja scowled at him. "A bad batch of wine? Since when does Sylvantia serve bad batches of wine? We serve the best in all of Eternia."

Freyja shrugged, looking as if she couldn't care less that she had been caught. "What do the Atlantians know about any of our customs? What do they know of hard work? Of having to struggle because we were stripped of the Gods' Gift."

"Not all of us were stripped of power, Freyja," Keith stated. "Sylvantia still has magic left. It might not be as much as we'd like, but it's still there, lingering. And it will be enough to beat Elysian into submission."

"I would agree with you, but we shouldn't underestimate them." Freyja shuddered. "Colonel Firimar of Elysian is a monster on the battlefield. He has already earned himself the nickname "Shadow Demon."

Keith brushed Frejya's fear away. "Panic will deal with him. I have no doubt that idiot will go around, bragging that he killed this so called "Shadow Demon"."

"Should you really be sending Panic out there? You know how much of a hothead he is."

"Which is why I want him out there," Keith drawled. "The more blood-lust he has, the more Elysians he'll kill."

"Mass murder in disguise of patriotism," Freyja said. "Sounds like something you would do while manipulating others to do the same."

"I'll do anything it takes to win, even if it means sending out a man who would kill his own men if they got in the way."

Judging from Freyja's renewed scowl of disgust, Keith knew her opinion of him had just lowered even further. Not that it mattered.

"General Howard?" a voice came from just outside the tent, "I have an urgent report. May I enter?"

"You may."

The soldier entered and saluted sharply. "General Howard, Commander Freyja, I have a report from Valendia City."

Keith's brow furrowed. "From Valendia City? What is it?"

"His Majesty merely sends word that he will be here soon. He wishes to see the progress of the war for himself."

Keith scowled. "We've given the King detailed reports about our progress and the cooperation Atlantis has given us. What else does he need to see?"

The reporting soldier looked uncomfortable for a brief moment before pressing on. "My apologies, General, but we weren't given much more information about it."

"Of course not," Keith spat out. He hadn't expected the King at this moment. He'd been hoping the man would show up after all of his lower-ranked commanders had either died by his hand or by Elysian's. With them still alive, there were more obstacles to overcome.

"Regardless of the reason for His Majesty coming here, it will no doubt cause the morale of the troops to increase a great deal," Freyja said.

"They don't need morale," Keith argued. "My men are confident enough."

"It wouldn't hurt," Freyja muttered. "You're not exactly Mr. Kiss and Hugs, General."

"I'm not supposed to be!" Keith waved a hand at the tent exit. "Why don't you go do something instead of standing there and irritating me like a horsefly?"

"Don't get all prissy, sir," Freyja drawled, heading for the door. "I will inform you when His Majesty arrives."

"Goodbye, Freyja."

Keith's face morphed into a scowl as Freyja disappeared out of tent. The woman frayed his nerves even on a good day, but she was useful enough to keep around with her mage abilities. Sometimes.

Shaking his head, Keith pushed Freyja out of his mind. No use wasting his thoughts on the likes of her. What he really needed to concentrate on was winning this war and figuring out why the King would be coming all of a sudden instead of staying at the Illusion Palace with his newly-healed Queen.

The only logical reasons he could come up with were that something had happened with the Queen, or that the man didn't trust him as much as he thought he did.

_Definitely that damned Queen of his, _Keith thought, snorting in amusement. _There's no way he'd come all the way out here and take command away from me. _

Much to Keith's frustration, a trickle of paranoia crept up into his mind. What if the King was coming to take command away from him? What if that damned coward had suddenly decided that this war wasn't worth the effort anymore?

_No, no, no! I won't let that pathetic excuse of a King take anything away from me! Not my rank or my men! I'll kill him with my bare hands if he does!_

"General Howard-"

"_What!" _

A moment of silence came from outside the tent before the soldier spoke again. His voice held a tinge of caution and fear.

"Colonel Panic is engaged in battle with a high-ranking Elysian commander by the name of Colonel Firimar. He sent one of his men back here to request immediate reinforcements."

"No."

"General-"

"I said no, if the Colonel can't handle one measly soldier, he deserves to die. I'm not sending any reinforcements, am I understood?"

Keith growled when no answer came from outside the tent. "Am I understood?"

"Yes, General, understood…"

A dark, cruel smirk pulled at the corners of Keith's lips as he heard the soldier walk away. A fight between Colonel Firimar and Colonel Panic would've definitely been something to behold, but he had no doubt that Panic wouldn't come out of it alive.

* * *

><p>"Colonel Bakura Firimar. You've earned quite the reputation amongst my men as the "Shadow Demon", but I see no demon here. I only see a man whose out for revenge because I killed one of his precious men. What was his name? Adam? Alex?" Panic chuckled and it caused Bakura to see red. "You'll have to excuse me for forgetting him so quickly."<p>

"Adrian," Bakura snapped viciously, allowing his shadow magic to curl around his chakrams. "I will make sure you remember his name and mine by the time this battle is over."

Panic's thin lips pulled into a dark smirk. "I'm afraid I won't have to remember anything, Colonel. My reinforcements are on the way as we speak. Once they arrive, taking care of you won't be a problem."

"Oh, you can't take care of me yourself, Colonel? A man of your rank should be able to fight me easily enough."

Panic scowled, lifting his morning star. "I would have no problem disposing of you."

"Then show me." Bakura tightened his grip on his chakrams. "Show me that you can take me on without your precious reinforcements. Or are you too cowardly to swing that weapon of yours for fear of breaking a nail?"

"Don't think I can't kill you without reinforcements!" Panic growled. "If you wish to die like your friend, it's no skin off my back!"

"To die like my friend?" Bakura repeated. "Is that how you killed Adrian? By sending for reinforcements? If so then I am proud that he at least took a few of your men with him to the other side."

Panic's ashen skin quickly grew red with anger. "Enough talk! It's time for you to die."

Tensing, Bakura moved back as Panic swung at him with his morning star erratically. Judging from how easy Panic made swinging the damned thing look, it would be a while before the Sylvantian tired from the effort.

"Is this the best the so called "Shadow Demon" can do? Is this your best defense!"

Bakura hissed as the morning star grazed his shoulder. With a hard flick of his wrist he let his chakrams fly, smirking as one of them managed to embed itself in Panic's shoulder. Not giving Panic time to recover, Bakura charged towards the larger man, calling one of his chakrams back as he did so.

"You think your little toys are going to help you!"

"They're doing okay so far." Bakura smirked and threw his weapon towards Panic, not in the least deterred when it missed Panic's head. He didn't want his opponent to die that easily.

"You're unarmed." Panic pulled the chakram out of his arm. "You have nothing left."

"I am a weapons master," Bakura stated, pulling two knives from the pouch strapped to his thigh. "I am never without a weapon. Now, stand up and face me. I refuse to let you lie there and die like a dog."

Bakura's eyes narrowed as Panic's hand came alive with lightning. He put up a barrier just as the larger man sent several bolts of lightning his way.

"You're a mage, eh?" Bakura chuckled darkly from under the barrier. "Who would have thought."

"It's not a talent that I use very often." Panic rose from the ground, his entire body was alive with lightning by this point. "I prefer my weapons, but I see I'm going to have to fry you alive."

"You can try." Shadow magic spilled from Bakura's hand and onto his knives. He probably wasn't going to have enough time to call his chakrams back once the fight started, so he'd have to settle for his secondary weapons.

_**"Come from thy heavens, oh lightning, and strike this one down. Meteor Bolts!" **_

Quickly kneeling on the ground, Bakura increased the strength of his barrier while letting tendrils of shadow escape from underneath. Eyes gleaming, he watched the tentacles wrap around Panic's legs. He could easily increase the strength of the shadow and sever Panic's legs, but for now he would play with his prey.

"Had enough-" Panic looked down at the shadows. Bakura couldn't help but chuckle at the shocked look the man was wearing.

"Bastard!" Panic hissed, trying to lift his legs in vain. "You let me cast that incantation on purpose!"

"So what if I did?" Bakura drawled. He clenched his hand, causing the shadows around Panic's legs to tighten. "You should know better than to think I would just sit here and let you cast a spell as powerful as that one."

"Release me!" Panic looked anxious. "Didn't you say you wanted to fight me? This would be too easy for you!"

Bakura rose from the ground, shattering his magical barrier. "It would, wouldn't it? It would be too easy to just let the shadows consume you." He stepped forward, keeping his knives grasped tightly in his hands. He wasn't going to take any chances with Panic. "But, I'm feeling kind of generous today, Colonel." He stopped a foot away from the captured man.

"Tell me something." Bakura curled his hand, commanding the shadows to bring Panic down to his knees. "Do you think this is how Adrian felt during his last moments while you were pounding your weapon into his body? Do you think he felt as helpless and scared as you do now?" When he received no answers, he allowed his shadow magic to cover Panic's body up to his shoulders. "Well, Colonel?"

"What's the use in answering your questions?" Panic spat at his feet. "You're going to kill me regardless of my answer. What good would it do, truly? What good would come from killing me? It won't bring your precious Adrian back."

"No, it won't," Bakura agreed solemnly. "But it would cripple your command. Plus, knowing Adrian's killer is in the very pits of the underworld will bring his family the peace they deserve."

"Peace?" Panic mocked, throwing his head back and letting roaring laugher escape. "What do soldiers and their families know of peace? We are warriors! We sacrifice peace of mind, body and soul for the thrill of battle. We know nothing of peace."

Bakura stepped back when Panic's body crackled with lightning, making his own shadows twist. Reaching out, he commanded his magic to tighten its grip on Panic, but the larger man only increased his magical output.

"Still have a little life left don't you?" Bakura gripped his knife and started bringing it down when the shadows surrounding Panic burst, knocking him back.

Panic rose from the ground, calling his morning star back. "Looks like your little shadows aren't as powerful as they should be, eh?"

Bakura rose from the ground, calling his knives back to his hands. "No, they're pretty powerful, you'll see just how much!"

Rushing forward, Bakura commanded his shadows to curl around Panic's morning star, smirking at Panic's loud curse, he jumped up and impaled Panic in the shoulder. He growled when Panic managed to grab his leg at the last second, slamming him into the unforgiving ground.

Through the haze of pain, Bakura felt himself being lifted up, and he soon found himself staring into Panic's crazed eyes.

"I caught myself a "Shadow Demon." Panic mocked, Bakura spat in Panic's face, smirking when Panic scowled.

"Dirty rat, I'll give you a little lessons in manners!"

Bakura heard the crackle of lightning seconds before his body felt as if was on fire, screaming in pain, Bakura struggled in Panic's grasp, internally seething at the larger man's crazed laughter.

"Had enough?" Bakura heard Panic ask. "No answer? I guess I can give you another jolt."

Bakura took a deep breath before the lightning attacked his body again, stopping his arm from seizing, he reached into his pocket and pulled out another knife. He stabbed Panic in the eye, causing the man to drop him on the ground.

Through sheer force of will, Bakura pushed himself up to his knees, weakly laughing at the sight of Panic writhing in pain.

"It's a pity, you know?" Bakura rasped out. "It's a pity that you Sylvantians don't know what true peace, true happiness is like. But, despite that, I've always respected how hard your country worked to regain its respect, its honor. It reminded me of my own childhood, always wanting people to look at me, to get to know me, instead of being afraid of my shape-shifting abilities."

Raising a hand, Bakura called his shadows and directed them towards Panic, who was now shaking in pain on the ground. He grimly smirked when his shadows covered Panic, covering his screams of terror and pain. He grasped his hand into a fist, causing the shadows around Panic to tighten, squeezing the larger man until he stopped moving entirely.

Seeing the blood pool around Panic's unmoving body, Bakura smirked. "I sincerely hope you find Adrian in the next life, Panic, for your suffering is only beginning."

* * *

><p>Jounouchi's heart strings pulled at the sight of the Eastern Sector of Fey. It looked worse than the previous area. There were more bodies, ranging from elderly to small children, littering the ground. Some bodies had already been partially devoured by ravens.<p>

"Welcome to war, boy," James spoke from beside him, his tone filled with bitterness. "Those damn Atlantians didn't even spare the children."

"The Atlantians didn't do this, the summoned monsters did," Jounouchi corrected. "I've seen many Atlantians releasing children. Despite being our enemy, they are not barbarians."

James snorted in disbelief. "Don't let their sympathy blind you, Ice boy. They'll kill you in an instant, and you best do the same."

Jounouchi grimaced, touching his blade. Even though he cleaned it after every battle, he doubted he would ever see the blood truly fade away. He'd lost count of how many men and woman - many his own age - he'd killed. It wasn't something he wanted to think about.

"Anyway," James spoke up, his tone much more cheerful, "this area is clear of monsters, so let's get out of here."

"Right." Jounouchi rose from the cracked ground, then jolted as he saw Atemu coming towards him. Cursing, he pulled on his helmet to hide half his face. "His Majesty approaching."

"Don't embarrass me, Ice boy," James muttered, snapping into a crisp salute. "Emperor Faenor!"

"Are you two injured?" Atemu asked.

"No, Your Majesty,"

Atemu nodded in satisfaction. "Good, I've heard from Captain Reyna that you two have managed to kill most of the Orichalcos monsters in this area. I've come here to thank you personally. May I have your names?"

James removed his helmet to reveal a head of brown hair and hazel eyes. "Sergeant James Epson of the Twenty-Fifth, Your Majesty."

Jounouchi mentally cursed when Atemu turned to him with curious, crimson eyes. "And you, soldier?"

"Remove your helmet and introduce yourself, soldier!" James snapped.

Resigned to his fate, Jounouchi removed his helmet, drawing a sharp gasp from Atemu. "Private Jounouchi Katsuya of the Twenty-Fifth and Class C Ice Mage."

Jounouchi expected many things from the Emperor. Anger and exasperation were at the top of the list. Much to his surprise, though, Atemu let out a soft chuckle.

"Y-Your Majesty?"

"High Lord Kaiba will be upset with you, Jounouchi."

"I'll take any scolding, Your Majesty, but I had to make sure both he and you were safe."

"Y-You two know each other?" James asked incredulously.

Jounouchi flushed. "You could say that,"

Atemu was still grinning, but his eyes were serious. "You have served Elysian well, Sergeant Epson, Private Katsuya, but know that High Lord Kaiba and I can take care of ourselves. Do you understand?"

Chastised and embarrassed, Jounouchi bowed his head. "Yes, Your Majesty, I understand."

"Very good. Now, both of you, come with me. We've received reports that forces from Sylvantia are coming through."

"Sylvantia?" James asked. "I thought Colonel Firimar was in control of the Sylvantian area, Your Majesty."

"He is," Atemu replied, "but a number of them managed to get here to support the Atlantian forces here. We're heading to the plains outside."

Despite the bad news, Jounouchi cheered mentally. He would get to see Seto soon enough. He would make sure not to lose Atemu in the ensuing battles.

"Jounouchi, hurry along!" Atemu called.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

* * *

><p>AN : So okay! Panic is dead and Bakura is partially fried from lightning, but hey, at least he survived, right? Right? Jounouchi has been caught by Atemu, but he was let off easily.

Next Chapter : Critias vs Seto! See you soon.


	31. Chapter 31

Valkyria : Hello Everyone! New Chapter of Emperor's Prophecy is here so I hope you'll enjoy it!

Beta'd by : Moondalian - I also give credit to Marik's Phoenix Armour.

Disclaimer : I claim no rights to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh!

Current Song : Flower by BoA

* * *

><p><em>"Let our friends perish, provided that our enemies fall at the same time." - Cicero. <em>

Chapter Thirty-One: Arrival of the Kings; War of the Trinity.

**"Rain down from the heavens! Lightning Arrows!"**

Seto smirked in triumph as five of the arrows struck Lenneth's wing, knocking her off balance. Commanding Kisara to descend, Seto watched as Critias used a minor healing spell to heal the injured appendage. The Atlantian was going to need more than that in the long run.

_"Things are finally going our way,"_ Kisara commented mentally. _"I thought we were in trouble for a while. How is your wound?"_

**"It's fine,"** Seto replied. **"We've managed to get several hits in, but let's not get cocky. Who knows what those two have up their sleeves. Get ready to fire as soon as we ascend."**

Surrounding himself with his second element, wind, Seto gripped Kisara's back as she ascended and fired a blast at Critias and Lenneth. When the attack was evaded, Seto waved his arm to unleash several blades of wind.

"Fire again, Kisara!" Seto roared as the blades of wind hit their intended mark. He quickly placed his hands on Kisara's back, blending his own magical energy with hers.

Kisara opened her jaws to fire, but they were quickly snapped shut and surrounded by a violet, magical circle.

"What?"

"One of the many talents of a true dragon mage!" Critias' voice boomed over the roaring winds. "We have the ability to seal a dragon's powers. Kisara won't be using that particular talent again any time soon. Here's another gift from us to the both of you;** Roaring flames of the bonded, rain down upon them! Blessed Flames!" **

With a wave of his hand, Seto brought up a shield to block the combined spell. Only at the last second did he notice Lenneth and Critias flying at them from behind. Seto held on tightly as Kisara screeched in pain the moment Lenneth attacked. He flinched as he felt a harsh pain through their link.

**"Are you okay?"** Seto asked, quickly placing a shield around them before giving Kisara a quick healing spell.

_"I've been better,"_ Kisara whispered across their link._ "I should have known better than to think Lenneth's attacks were going to be something I could handle."_

"You can handle them," Seto snapped, taking his bow from his back. "You're my dragon, Kisara. You can handle anything thrown at you. Now, get ready to ram them."

"What are you going to do?" Kisara asked.

Seto smirked darkly and retrieved an arrow with a carefully carved seal of runes on it. "I'm going to get Critias back for sealing your powers. Now hurry, the shield is almost down."

Drawing the string on the bow back, Seto waited until Kisara was close enough to Lenneth before firing the arrow into Lenneth's neck. The spell inside released, covering both Critias and Lenneth in a bright, pink light.

Not allowing his opponents to recover, Seto fired another arrow, this time aiming for Critias. Not much to Seto's surprise, Critias blocked it.

"You'll pay for that," Critias hissed dangerously. "You dare seal my dragon's powers?"

"Now you know how I felt!" Seto cried out while firing another arrow, this one sparking with lightning. "Your dragon is just as useless as mine now. It's just you and me."

"I have no problems with that." Critias said, smirking.

"Watch out," Kisara whispered, "he's up to something."

"It doesn't matter what he's up to," Seto said, "we're not going to give him a chance to do anything."

Commanding Kisara to get close again, Seto readied his magic for another spell. As he drew on his magic, though, Lenneth moved towards them unexpectedly, ramming into them roughly. Before he could regain his balance, Critias jumped off Lenneth and onto them.

"Get off me!" Seto hissed as Critias latched onto him. He reached for his bow again, only to have Critias grab it and toss it away.

"I said I didn't have a problem with a one-on-one battle between the two of us, did I not?" Critias gave him a toothy grin. "This is my idea of one-on-one."

"Is it," Seto struggled in Critias' tight grasp, "or is it a last-ditch effort?"

Feeling Critias loosen his grip, Seto grabbed his arm and unleashed a jolt of lightning. Pulling back his arm, he punched Critias across the face causing the man to lose his balance.

"Lenneth! Grab her!"

Seto's heart stopped in his chest when he felt an unbearable pain shoot down his link with Kisara. He looked down to see that Lenneth had latched onto Kisara's neck and had no intention of letting go. He raised his hand to blast the Descendant dragon off, only to have his wrist grabbed and twisted sharply.

"I told you I was going to make you pay for sealing her," Critias hissed in his ear

_"Seto,"_ Kisara whimpered across the link, Seto could feel her life draining the longer Lenneth had her neck grasped between her massive jaws. His heart gave another twist when Kisara let out another screech of pain. He had to do something and he had to do it _now_.

"She's going to die, you know," Critias whispered darkly into his ear. He struggled with vigor once more, but Critias twisted his arm, quickly dislocating his shoulder. "If you struggle again, I'll rip off your arm."

"Seto," Kisara whispered again. His eyes burned, his body became numb as he felt her life slipping away. He couldn't let that happen.

He wouldn't let her die.

**"Listen to me very carefully, Kisara."** Seto called over the link. **"I'm not going to let you die, do you understand? I know it hurts. I know it hurts so much that you can't stand it. But you have to be strong for me, alright? We've been together too long to let these rejects kill us."**

**_"She's too far gone to hear you, Seto."_ **Seto's eyes widen when he heard Lenneth's smooth voice in his mind.**_ "Her mind is concentrating on the pain. But don't worry, little one, neither of you will have to suffer for too much longer. Right, Critias?_**"

"Right."

"I won't let you," Seto hissed. "I won't let you hurt her anymore than you already have. I'll kill us all before that happens." Seto opened his mouth to launch his spell, but Critias' gloved hand covered his mouth.

Critias 'tsk'ed lightly. "None of that now-" Seto twisted his neck, pulling his mouth away from Critias' hand and biting down on it hard enough to taste blood. Spitting, he forced his head back and hit the General's head, giving him enough time and room to speak the spell.

**"Come down as swords of destruction, oh lightning, and strike them down! Chaos Lightning Storm!"**

Every nerve in Seto's body felt as though it was on fire as the spell struck relentlessly. He made sure to grab Critias as they were knocked off Kisara and began plummeting towards the unforgiving ground. There was no way he was letting the man go after all he had done.

_"I'm sorry Kisara, Atemu, Mokuba… and most off all, I'm sorry Jounouchi Katsuya."_

* * *

><p>Fourteen years of swordplay and ten days of endless battles had not been enough to prepare Jounouchi for what he saw and experienced on the fields just outside Fey.<p>

Bodies mutilated by magic and weapons littered the ground as though they were trash, and yet the soldiers still alive kept fighting as if they weren't there. Jounouchi knew better, though. The soldiers and mages still alive were fighting for the ones who had fallen. They were fighting for their honor and for the families they'd involuntarily left behind.

Keeping a tight grip on the hilt of his blade, Jounouchi swung horizontally, decapitating a Sylvantian soldier. He quickly forced down the bile rising in his throat as the blood sprayed on his face.

Adding a substantial amount of ice magic to his blade, Jounouchi prepared for his next attack when a cry to his left brought him out of his thoughts.

"Incoming! Two dragons and their bonded descending!"

Looking up, Jounouchi's eyes widened as he saw Kisara and an unfamiliar dragon falling from the sky with torn wings and covered blood. It wasn't the sight of the dragons that made air escape his lungs and caused his heart to drop to his stomach, though.

No, it was the sight of Seto falling towards the Earth at incredible speed. Jounouchi was surprised the man hadn't hit the ground yet.

"_Hurry! Hurry! You have to catch him!" _his subconsciousness screamed at him, and it was enough for Jounouchi to drop his sword and set off at a dead run.

Pushing soldiers and mages out of the way, Jounouchi kept his eyes locked on Seto and the other man that was falling beside him. He knew the other man was an enemy, but Jounouchi didn't have it in him to see the stranger fall to his death either. He was someone's brother, friend, or lover, just like Seto was his friend, teacher, and special person.

Sliding to a stop, Jounouchi was about to slam his palms into the ground to catch them with his ice magic, when a hand on his shoulder stopped him. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw a man wearing Elysian mage robes.

"What are you doing?" Jounouchi tried to wrench his shoulder away, but the man's grip tightened, almost to the point of pain. "Let me go! and who the hell are you, anyway?"

"Lieutenant Fatima! Listen to me! Ice magic isn't going to work!" Fatima held up his hands. "I'll catch them you just be ready, alright?"

"Y-Yeah,"

Fatima held up his hands and released a large burst of wind magic towards Seto and the armored man. It was much to Jounouchi's relief that both men, plus their dragons, slowed down drastically. Fatima released another burst of wind magic and gently placed them on the ground.

Throwing a thank you at Fatima, Jounouchi raced towards Seto, his heart beating in his chest. Sliding to a stop, Jounouchi dropped to his knees. Seto had landed on his back. His right arm and left leg were twisted at an odd angle. The councilman's once beautiful blue and black robes were charred beyond recognition. Seeing his proud teacher in such a way made bile rise up in Jounouchi's throat.

"Jounouchi! Jounouchi!"

Hearing the worried voice of Atemu, Jounouchi looked up to see the Emperor running towards them, wearing a panic expression.

"Jounouchi!" Atemu panted, coming to a stop beside him. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Jounouchi lied, his arms were shaking and his heart was beating against his chest at what seemed like a thousand beats per second. "Yeah, I'm okay, but I'm more worried about Seto."

"Yes, of course," Atemu patted him on the shoulder before turning his attention to Seto. Jounouchi bit his lip when he heard Atemu gasp in despairation. He shook his head, Seto couldn't be dead.

He couldn't be.

"_Critias! Lenneth!" _

Turning at the sound of the cry, Jounouchi saw a man wearing crimson and violet running towards him. Forcing himself onto his feet, Jounouchi stood in front of the Emperor and Seto in a defensive position. He didn't know if this man was Sylvantian or Atlantian, but it didn't matter. There was no way he was getting his hands on the Emperor or Seto.

The man in the crimson armor stopped in front of him, a look of anguish on his face. "I don't want to fight, Elysian! I just want to get to Critias and Lenneth."

"Who are they to you?" Jounouchi asked, not moving just yet. He was going to make sure this man wasn't going to cause any unnecessary harm.

"He's my-" the man stopped abruptly and started again, his voice more confident. "He's my comrade. Please, I just want to see if he's still alive."

Jounouchi stared into the man's bright, amber eyes for one, long, lingering moment before finally taking a small step to the left.

"Thank you!" The man rushed past him and towards the other man who was now known as Critias. He trailed behind the unnamed man. He didn't trust him as far as he could throw him.

"I can heal them both," the man spoke up after checking over Critias.

"Why?" Atemu demanded. "Why would you heal the enemy? You wouldn't benefit from it at all."

"No, I wouldn't. But your mage saved my comrade's life. It's the least I can do."

"Very well," Atemu acquiesced, "but, remember that I will not hesitate to kill you should you try anything."

The man nodded, spreading his hands over Seto. A white-greenish light emerged from his hands, spreading over Seto like a blanket. Jounouchi watched with growing relief as the burns on Seto's skin disappeared, only leaving a few scars. The man turned to his comrade, who was in seemingly worse shape.

"You will need a healer to rest his arm and leg," the man murmured, now busy healing his friend, "but his other injuries are gone. He'll have a few scars, though."

"Thank you," Atemu said. "Who are you?"

"General Hermos of Atlantis." Hermos looked down. "And this is General Critias."

"It's going to take more than your healing to get him out of danger," Atemu said. "I can transport you to your side if you wish."

Hermos looked relieved, but slightly hesitant "Yes, I would like nothing more, but I'm worried about Lenneth. I just can't leave her here."

"I will take care of Lenneth and Kisara." Atemu reassured. "You needn't worry about them."

Hermos' shoulders slumped with relief. "I thank you, Critias would be happy to know his dragon is being taken care of. I never caught your names, by the way."

"Jounouchi Katsuya, and-"

"Atemu Faenor."

"Emperor Faenor?" Hermos blinked. "I never thought I'd meet you."

"And I never thought I would be helping the very people who started this war," Atemu stated. "Fate has a funny way of dealing with things."

"Indeed she does," Hermos gathered Critias in his arms. "If you would transport us exactly four miles from Fey it would be much appreciated, Your Majesty.

Jounouchi watched as Atemu held a ringed hand out towards Hermos and Critias. Soon, a multitude of shadows surrounded the two Atlantians.

"Thank you!" Hermos cried out before the shadows swallowed them whole. "I hope we meet again on different terms!"

"So do I," Atemu said as the shadows faded away, taking the Atlantians to their destination. "So do I."

Jounouchi reached for Seto, sighing in relief when he felt the man twitch. "We'd best get out of here as well, Your Majesty."

"I'm going to take care of Kisara and Lenneth so I'll will join you soon enough," Atemu said, his arm already curling with shadows.

Jounouchi instantly felt a flash of guilt as he remembered Kisara. She had to be worried about Seto.

"Okay," Jounouchi said, nodding, "be careful."

Atemu tossed him a grin. "Same to you, Jounouchi." Atemu waved a hand and Jounouchi felt the cool feeling of shadows wrapping around him. "See you soon."

Jounouchi didn't know why, but as he stared at Atemu's bright grin, he felt as though it was going to be an eternity before he saw it again.

* * *

><p>Keith clenched his fists as he watched Pegasus pace back and forth. The urge to kill the man had only increased since his arrival. The King criticized his every order, interrupted him constantly and telling the messengers another tactic, or increasing the food supply.<p>

He wondered how long it would take for the man to bleed out if he killed him now.

"I am disappointed by Colonel Panic's death, General," Pegasus stated, coming to a stop in front of him. "I heard from the soldiers that you refused to send reinforcements."

Keith gritted his teeth. "I felt that there was no need for reinforcements, Your Majesty. Panic's only opponent was Colonel Firimar. I believe you know of him."

"Ah," Pegasus murmured, "I remember him now. He was such a…violent young commander."

"I believed Panic was more than capable of handling him, Your Majesty."

"And look where your belief got Panic. We are now down an important and powerful commander who was in charge of more than a thousand men."

"I will see to Colonel Panic's men, Your Majesty," Keith said. "You needn't worry about it."

"I will take on Panic's men, General," Pegasus said, cutting him off viciously and causing Keith to emit a low growl. "I will see to it that Panic's men are well taken care of."

Keith nodded sharply despite his anger. His mind whirled with new possibilities. If Pegasus was on the field then it would be easier to kill the man. And if there were any witnesses, he could simply say it was a misfire.

"Yes, Your Majesty, I understand. We are honored to have you fight amongst us."

Keith snapped out of his thoughts when the tent rustled and a soldier came in, saluting sharply.

"Your Majesty, General Howard, we have reports of Colonel Firimar coming towards us."

"Is he alone?" Pegasus asked.

"No, Your Majesty. He has at least fifty men with him. A good portion of his men are in Fey now."

"Then it shouldn't be too hard to eliminate him now." Pegasus turned to him. "General Howard, prepare your men and depart. I want Firimar's head on a platter by sunset."

Keith bowed his head. "Yes, Your Majesty, but won't you join me on the battlefield? It would boost morale to see you amongst us."

"Yes, I have every intention of joining you, General."

Keith smirked darkly from underneath his collar. "It will be a pleasure to fight beside you, Your Majesty."

_Only a little bit longer and you'll be meeting the Gods._

* * *

><p>Running into Marik near the ports in Haven City had been sheer luck for Timaeus. But that luck turned into a curse once he'd fully engaged the man in battle. The wounds now covering his body were proof that Marik had gone easy on him during their last encounter.<p>

"**Rise! Rise from the very depths of hell! Firestorm!" **

Timaeus grunted from the force of the spell, creating a shield so it could take the brunt of the attack for him.

"What's the matter, Atlantian?" Marik mocked from behind the waves of fire. "Still injured from our last little battle?"

Timaeus flinched at the reminder, his wounds burning underneath his armor. "Even if I was, I would still be powerful enough to put you down!"

Marik grinned, showing a perfect row of teeth. "Come try, Atlantian. I'm going to make sure you feel the same exact pain Rishid felt when you took his life."

Timaeus dismissed the shield and charged towards Marik. "I won't apologize for taking his life! I'll never apologize for it! He knew the risks of battle, just as you do, General."

Timaeus' arms shook as his sword collided with Marik's lance. "What was he to you, General? A fellow soldier? A friend? Family? As commanders we all mourn for the loss of our men. But you, you are out for revenge."

Marik chuckled, the sound rich and dark. "I'm so glad you understand, Timaeus. I'm glad you understand that you're going to die on Elysian soil. Your blood is going to paint the streets and color the ocean red."

Timaeus pulled back as he saw Marik's lance turn orange with fire. He gripped his blade and poured wind magic onto it until it was pulsing with energy.

"Someone of your position should not be seeking revenge," Timaeus commented lightly. "It reflects poorly on your reputation."

"It doesn't reflect on a damn thing," Marik hissed. "It makes me human. It shows that I care for my men, unlike you."

A wave of anger washed over Timaeus at the other man's words. Growling, Timaeus swung his blade in a downwards slash, releasing a wave of wind magic. Much to his frustration, Marik blocked it with little effort.

"Who's angry now?" Marik taunted, adding more fire to the lance until none of the metal was visible anymore. "General Timaeus of Atlantis is known to be confident and calm in the most heated moments of battle, but what I see is nothing but a man who is eager for battle and ready to die."

Timaeus charged again, adding ice to his blade as he did so. "Elysian will mourn the death of Marik Aegnor. I will make sure of that."

Timaeus ducked when Marik swung his lance, dragging his blade across the ground. He swung his blade in an upwards slash, smirking when it managed to hit its mark and caused Marik to drop his lance and jump several paces back.

"Enough of this," Marik growled. "Enough of this playing around."

Timaeus' eye narrowed as he watched a fire rune appear underneath Marik's feet. He gathered his magic to put another shield around himself, but stopped when he saw the fire rune lift from the ground and surround Marik with fire.

"What in Leviathan's name…?" Timaeus murmured, watching in fascination as Marik's entire body was covered in flames.

"_So, this is why they call you 'Phoenix'." _Timaeus thought, stepping back and raising his blade again. _"They weren't wrong to call you an S-Class mage." _

"So what do you think?" Marik asked, spreading his arms out. "I haven't used this technique in a long while, but what the hell. I brought it out just for you."

"How nice of you," Timaeus drawled. "I hope it isn't just for show."

Marik charged towards him, leaving a trail of fire in his wake. Timaeus quickly raised his blade to block Marik's strike, grunting in surprise when Marik caught his blade easily.

"Any magic or skills you have will no longer work," Marik murmured, gripping the blade until it began to melt from the heat. Timaeus hissed as the heat started to melt part of his helmet, it wouldn't be to long before it started to burn his skin.

Letting go of his blade, Timaeus jumped back, hissing when the movement aggravated his old wounds. He had no time to recover before Marik was upon him again grabbing his neck and tossing him against a wall of a nearby shop.

xxx

Crying out in pain at the impact, Timaeus painfully lifted himself off the ground, cursing when his legs failed him.

"What's the matter, General?" Marik called out mockingly. "Don't tell me you're already finished."

"I-I'm not done, you flamed freak." Timaeus growled, pushing himself up and leaning against the damaged wall.

"Oh," Marik drawled, the fire armor around him blazing brighter than before. "I think you are."

Timaeus shook his head when his vision faded in and out. That wasn't good. He glanced up at Marik who had reclaimed his lance and was simply waiting for him to make the next move. It was the mockery and amusement in the man's gaze that caused a feeling of hot anger to flow through him, but he knew it was unwise to attack in anger. It was only going to get him killed in the end.

"Not going to attack?" Marik questioned, stepping towards him, the fire around him roaring quietly. "I guess it's my turn again, eh?"

With a shaking hand Timaeus gathered what little energy he could to form a shield as Marik charged. The shield would be weak, but at least it would take the brunt-

"Now, now, I think you're taking this battle a little too seriously, don't you think?"

Timaeus hand slowly came to his side at the sound of an all too familiar voice. Turning, he spotted Dartz behind Marik holding the General back with water magic. The fire surrounding him all but evaporated into steam.

"Release me!" Marik growled, Timaeus watched as the water formed a bubble around Marik.

"Release you?" Dartz purred darkly. "Why should I do such a thing? You just tried to kill one of my best men."

Timaeus watched numbly as Marik struggled in the water bubble until he stopped moving. A flash of pity flowed through him as Dartz snapped his fingers bursting the bubble and causing Marik's dead or unconscious body to hit the ground.

"Timaeus?" Timaeus shivered fiercely at the sound of his name coming from Dartz' mouth. "Are you alright?"

Unable to form words, Timaeus nodded his head. He wanted nothing more than to wipe that smug smirk of Dartz face when he nodded in satisfaction.

"Very good," Dartz said, coming towards him. "reinforcements are currently coming by boat so this city will be ours in no time."

Timaeus was grateful when it was after those moments that his body finally decided to give out causing him to lose conscious. He would never have forgiven himself if he was apart of the bloodshed that Dartz was about to unleash.

* * *

><p>What a chapter eh? Dartz and Pegasus are officially on the battlefield. Seto and Critias are injured and is Marik dead? Well, you'll have to find out soon.<p> 


	32. Chapter 32

Valkyria : Hello! Welcome to Chapter Thirty Two of Emperor's Prophecy! Hope you enjoy the chapter.

Disclaimer : I claim no rights to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh

Current Song : Share the World.

* * *

><p><em>"All our progress is an unfolding, like the vegetable bud. You have first an instinct, then an opinion, then a knowledge, as the plant has root, bud, and fruit. Trust the instinct to the end, though you can render no reason. It is vain to hurry it. By trusting it to the end it shall ripen into truth, and you shall know why you believe."<em> -_ Ralph Waldo Emerson. _

**Chapter Thirty-Two: The Power of the Fallen**

It was magnificent, beautiful, elegant.

There were many other words Yuugi could use to describe the hall he was standing in, but he feared they would do it little justice. The place looked as if it had been created only yesterday with the way the floors shone underneath the lights and the metal ivies wrapped around the marble columns glowed brightly with the power of protection runes.

"Welcome, my dear boy, to the ancient Hall of the Radiant."

"It's gorgeous, Grandpa," Yuugi breathed, unable to keep his eyes away from the splendor. "Why didn't Atemu show me this place when I first arrived?"

"The Hall of the Radiant holds a lot of the heirlooms belonging to the royal family," Fenrir explained. "So, only members of the House of Faenor and a small number of privileged people are allowed in."

"Emperor Aknamkanon granted me access when Atemu was born," Sugoroku said. "He wanted someone other than Fenrir and his family to know its location."

Yuugi nodded. That was understandable. "I assume Atemu was planning on showing me this place sometime after we had been married?"

"Correct, but since we have no idea how long this war will rage on for, Sugoroku and I decided that we should be the ones to show it to you."

Sugoroku nodded in agreement, giving him a small smile. "Think of it as a reward for all the hard work you've put in to your studies and magical training."

Fenrir stepped down the grand staircase. "Let us commence the tour, shall we?"

As they progressed through the hall, Sugoroku took a moment to point to a large, white door hidden between the columns.

"Aside from holding important heirlooms, this place also serves as an escape route. It was built shortly after Emperor Dante's son was born."

Yuugi looked to where his grandfather was pointing. "An escape route? Where does it lead to?"

"It leads to the city-state of Helios. His Majesty has some distant relatives living there."

"There will be no need for me to use it, will there?"

"It is merely a precaution," Sugoroku said. "You can never be too careful."

"Of course not," Yuugi murmured. Walking forward further, he spotted a display case holding twin blades with black, green and white runes. "What are these?"

Fenrir stopped beside him. "These are the weapons of Emperor Aldan. His twin blades Valya and Belthil."

"Emperor Aldan? He was the Emperor who ruled during Leon's time, right?" Yuugi stepped closer and reverently touched the glass. The blades were obviously well taken care of as they had not rusted even a little over the centuries.

"That's right."

"Why aren't they in the Room of Emperors? These are his main weapons, right?"

"Prince Dante felt it was better to have his father's weapons stored down here instead of in the Room of Emperors. The swords can be very dangerous in the wrong hands. As you can see from the runes etched on the blades that they possess Aldan's power of light, darkness, and time. With one swing of a single blade, you could unleash one, two or even all three gifts at once."

"He had three gifts?" Yuugi pulled his hand away from the display case to stare at Fenrir in shock. "How is that possible?"

"It isn't impossible to have three gifts." Sugoroku said. "It was actually common during Elysian's early days. But as time progressed, having three gifts started to become rare. Emperor Aldan was very blessed."

"I don't understand," Yuugi said, shaking his head. "If Emperor Aldan possessed all of that magic, how could he have lost to the King of Atlantis? Elysian should have won the war."

"Aldan," Fenrir started, his voice filled with regret, pain and many other emotions Yuugi couldn't describe, "Aldan was already mad with paranoia by the time he faced the King of Atlantis. There was no way he could have had proper control over his magic."

"His lack of control caused his magical system to deplete faster," Sugoroku added. "Though the King of Atlantis was heavily injured, he still had enough strength to land the finishing blow."

"I see," Yuugi turned to Fenrir, who was staring at the blades with pity and sadness. "You were there, weren't you? You were there when Emperor Aldan died."

"Yes," Fenrir replied roughly. "I was there beside Dante when Aldan passed away. The sanity and compassion I knew he had returned during the last moments of his life… It was a relief to see it despite the fact that it was the last time I saw it."

Noticing how pained Fenrir looked and sounded, Yuugi wanted to take the wolf into his arms and hold him tightly. It was easy to forget that under all of the power, grace and wisdom, Fenrir experienced the same loss everyone else did.

"Let's continue," Sugoroku murmured when it became obvious Fenrir wasn't going to speak any further about Aldan. Yuugi would have to apologize later. Even if three-hundred years had passed, it didn't mean the pain Fenrir felt about Aldan's death had lessened any.

Moving away from the display case, they took a sharp right and came upon a set of stone statues forming a large circle. Though it was impressive, Yuugi didn't recognize any of them.

"War heroes, my boy," Sugoroku explained, tapping a hand on one of the smaller ones as he passed by. "Generals, Colonels, and Lieutenants. All of them participated in the Ethereal War and the War of Broken Bonds. But there's something even more impressive I want you to see."

Following Fenrir and his grandfather further in, Yuugi came to a halt in front of a door with the runes for light and water etched deeply into the surface.

"This is what Fenrir and I wanted to show you." Sugoroku pulled the large doors open. "Go on."

"What's inside?" Yuugi asked cautiously. It wasn't as if he thought his grandfather or Fenrir would hurt him, but he was worried about the fact that they wanted him to go first.

Fenrir nudged him from behind, making him stumble slightly. "If you go in, you'll find out, now won't you?"

"Well, yes," Yuugi agreed, casting another cautious glance at the open door. "Then again, wouldn't it be better if you both just tell me what's in there."

"Don't make me drag you in there, boy," Fenrir growled playfully, nudging him again. "Don't stop showing that backbone you've been displaying lately."

"Fine, fine." Yuugi huffed. Holding his head up high, he stepped through while ignoring his grandfather and Fenrir's rough chuckles.

Looking around, Yuugi found nothing particularly special about the room. The only distinguishing features were a door with a golden barrier and a marble statue of a slim, long-haired man. Yuugi figured the man was important to have an entire room dedicated to him.

"His lack of surprise is disappointing," Fenrir's amused voice came from the doorway. "I thought he'd be happier to see it."

"Well, considering he doesn't know what he looked like, it's not that surprising."

"What are you two talking about?" Yuugi asked, stepping closer to the statue. "Who is he?"

"Yuugi, my boy, this is the only statue of Seer Leon von Schroeder."

_"This?"_ Yuugi turned to his grandfather and Fenrir. "This is Leon?"

"Yes," Fenrir replied. "I assume you're surprised now."

"Yes," Yuugi breathed, wanting to touch the statue. The sculptor had done an excellent job. He or she had managed to catch every detail, from Leon's waist-length hair to his gauntlets. The fact that Leon had once been a double-gifted mage and an expert martial artist caused a wave of envy to pass over him.

"Why here?" Yuugi asked, finally able to take his eyes off Leon for a moment. "Why not in the city or in one of the upper rooms?"

"According to Fenrir here, this what Leon wanted."

"That's right," Fenrir said. "Believe it or not, but Seer Leon was a very private man. He enjoyed solitude, thus the reason why he decided to travel Eternia alone after the war had ended. He didn't like the attention he received as a Seer, but he understood. He understood and forgave the people for what they'd done to his brethren. Worshiping the Seers was the only way the people of Elysian could atone for what they'd done. So, he took everything in stride."

"I see," Yuugi said softly, turning back to the statue. He really couldn't blame Leon for wanting solitude. There were times when he wanted that very same solitude. Having people worshipping the ground you walked on because of what you were and not for who _you were_ did get pretty tiring.

"Yuugi," Sugoroku pointed to the door covered with the golden barrier, "this is the second thing we wanted to show you."

"Oh? What's behind there?"

"Your protection," Fenrir responded vaguely. "You are to come here should anything - and I mean _anything_ - happen."

"My protection? What about the escape route?"

"It is only to be used if Atlantian or Sylvantian soldiers manage to make their way into the Palace. This is used in case Leviathan decides to make an appearance."

"I thought Leviathan was too weak to come into the mortal realm?"

"No," Fenrir gave him a look full of pity, "Leviathan is capable of coming into this world via a mortal vessel. It has been centuries since the War of the Ethereal, which is more than enough time for the God's to recover."

Swallowing heavily at the thought of Leviathan possessing him or anyone else, Yuugi asked a question that had been bothering him for a while.

"Why? Why does he want me?"

"Yuugi," Fenrir came closer, "you are the only one left in Eternia bearing Ra's gift. You can see the future, and prevent it from coming to pass."

"We believe that is why Leviathan wants you. He wants to preserve that gift. The way he plans to do this still eludes us, I'm afraid."

"Why do it this way, then? Why launch a war against Elysian? Weren't Ra and Leviathan once allies?"

"Yes, they were." Sugoroku sighed. "But time changes everything, Yuugi, even Gods. I think Leviathan no longer believes Elysian can take care of the Seers. Thus the reason for launching the war and using Dartz. At this point, he will do anything to get his hands on you."

"And we will do anything to keep you safe," Fenrir added. "Like Sugoroku and I said before, you are to come here as quickly as possible should Leviathan rise. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Yuugi responded weakly, "I understand."

"Good, good. Now, let's get back. I am sure Mai and Mahad are wondering where we are."

Yuugi allowed Fenrir and his grandfather to leave first before following behind. As he touched Leon's statue, an all too familiar pain crept up in his head. A painful scream escaped his lips before his mind was overtaken by several images.

_A golden, winged crown and a blade with the wings of a griffin covered with blood, their owner lying beside them, seemingly lifeless._

_A statue of Ra, magnificent in its creation, yet tainted by blood. A tall man with hair dark as night standing before it with blade in hand._

_A cloaked man kneeling on the floor, a smaller man in his arms, his grip around the younger man while screaming in desperation. Blood pooling around them. Dull amethyst eyes staring into the sky..._

_Darkness. Nothing, but darkness and crazed laughter filled with long awaited triumph._

"-uugi! Yuugi!"

Yuugi opened his eyes to see his grandfather and Fenrir staring down at him in barely masked horror.

"Yuugi?" Fenrir murmured. "Are you alright?"

The flashes of his visions appeared in his mind again, causing Yuugi to let out a broken, weak sob.

"Yuugi?" Sugoroku placed a hand on his forehead. "What did you see?"

"Death," Yuugi croaked out weakly, "Death, despair, and darkness."

* * *

><p>Attacking the Sylvantian Command Center with five hundred men while he himself was injured was suicide. But with most of his units in Fey, Bakura really hadn't had a choice in the matter. To make matters worse, the morale of his men was down and their supplies were dwindling.<p>

"Colonel," Ishizu's soft voice asked, "are you ready?"

Bakura chuckled bitterly. "Not even I'm ready for this, Ishizu." He gave her a small smile to ease the fear that was spreading around like a thick cloud. "I want you stay near the mages, alright? They'll provide protection for you and your medical teams. Will you be able to manage with what you have?"

Ishizu patted her satchel. "Yes, I've had less than this before and I managed just fine." She gave him another worried look. "How are your wounds? You've barely had any time to rest up from the battle with Colonel Panic."

Bakura's bandaged wounds burned at the thought of the encounter. "I'm fine."

"Bakura-"

"Colonel! The Sylvantian army is approaching! Your orders, sir?"

Gently shoving Ishizu towards two younger healers, he turned to the reporting solider. "Ready the mages and archers for the first wave. I want the close range fighters following the first barrage of the archers and mages. Fire as soon as the enemy is in sight!"

"Bakura, be careful! Do you hear me?"

Bakura threw a cheeky grin in Ishizu's direction. "I can't promise that, but I'll try my best."

"Colonel, the Sylvantian army is within range! General Howard and King Pegasus are at the head."

"Fire at will."

Bakura charged once the first wave of arrows and magic has passed over his head. He threw one of his chakrams, impaling a Sylvantian soldier and killing him instantly.

Calling it back, he killed another three soldiers in quick succession. General Howard and King Pegasus were going to be hell to get to, but he was going to get to them no matter what it took.

He threw out several tendrils of shadow magic, taking down seven more soldiers while clearing a path for his own men. He grinned when one of the mages tossed him a relieved look as she passed. He set off at a dead run, taking out as many soldiers as he could.

Reaching the middle of the battlefield, he spotted General Howard and King Pegasus. If he took a shot at Pegasus then it would only be blocked by Keith's earth magic. It would be best if he confronted them head on.

But could he honestly take on both Howard and Pegasus at the same time? It wasn't impossible; merely difficult. But with Howard's earth magic and Pegasus' mind control and telekinesis, they were a match made in heaven - or rather, hell.

Bakura tightened his grip on his chakrams. If he did this, if he continued forward to face the both of them in his state, chances were he was going to die in the process. He grinned sadly as Ryou's cheerful face flashed in his mind. It figured he would think of him in the face of possible death.

"Well," Bakura thought grimly, "no use standing here and pondering it. I might as well go ahead with it. Who knows, maybe I'll get lucky and survive this mess."

With his heart beating against his chest, Bakura raced towards Keith and Pegasus, aiming and throwing his chakrams towards the General's head. He cursed under his breath when the General ducked just in the nick of time.

"Well, well, well!" Keith called out gleefully. "If it isn't Colonel Bakura 'Shadow Demon' Firimar! I would say it's good to see you again, but that would be a bold-faced lie."

Bakura felt excitement flow through him as Pegasus paled at the sight of him. He felt slightly better as he realized he wasn't the only one wary about this battle.

"I'm not here to talk, Howard." Bakura stepped forward. "Let's just get started, shall we?"

"You seem eager to die, Colonel," Pegasus commented lightly, quickly recovering from his shock. "It was foolish of you to try and take on the both of us."

"This isn't foolish at all, Pegasus." Bakura held up his chakram. "I am more than capable enough to take you both out!"

Throwing his remaining chakram at Keith, Bakura shifted to his animal form and charged at Pegasus, managing to scratch the King's face.

"_**Open the ground and swallow thy whole! Ground Breaker!" **_

Feeling the earth shake beneath him, Bakura returned to his human form, barely managing to avoid falling into the opening pit.

Shifting again, he returned his attention to Pegasus. He attacked the man and pinned him to the ground, growling at the struggling man underneath him. He sank his fangs into the King's shoulder, though before he could pull away and aim for the Sylvantian's neck he was wretched off and thrown to the ground.

Quickly getting back on his feet, Bakura ducked as seven earth spears came his way. Rushing forward, he jumped into the air and threw his chakram at Keith, sending a blast of shadow magic after it. His weapon stopped abruptly mere inches away from Keith's face, giving the earth mage enough time to move out of the way.

Slapping himself mentally at temporarily forgetting Pegasus was a telekinetic, Bakura landed back on his feet and shot a blast of shadow magic towards the King. The man was an easier target and the sooner he got rid of him the sooner he could take care of Keith without the distraction.

A wall of earth shot up in front of Pegasus, blocking his shot. Sending out another shot of shadow magic, Bakura shattered the wall and continued charging towards Pegasus. He was inches away from the man when he was suddenly frozen in place.

"Earth magic isn't my only talent, even if I'm mostly known for it." Keith chuckled at him from behind. Bakura didn't fail to notice that the man was holding one of his chakrams. He growled and struggled to move.

"Don't bother," Keith patted him on the shoulder as he made his way to Pegasus, who was looking quite pale thanks to the blood loss, "that seal is quite powerful and I've killed quite a few people with it. You can still talk, though. Killing quiet enemies is never really fun at all."

"Finish him off," Pegasus commanded. "We don't have time for your games, Keith."

Bakura watched as Keith twirled his chakram around idly. What was the Sylvantian up to?

"He's given us a lot of trouble, Your Majesty." Keith gripped the chakram tightly. "You should at least give me the opportunity to play around with him for a bit."

"We don't have time," Pegasus gasped out, clutching a hand to his shoulder wound. "Finish him off so we can advance to Fey."

"Orders, orders, orders," Keith muttered. "You are only capable of giving orders. I think I've suddenly decided not to follow your orders anymore."

"What!" Pegasus cried out, outraged. "You-" Pegasus' next words were cut off as Bakura's chakram was impaled in his throat.

Even though Bakura had planned for this to happen, it was still somewhat of a shock to his system as he watched Pegasus crumbled to the ground, clutching his throat as blood poured down his light armor.

"Consider yourself pretty lucky, Colonel," Keith remarked idly, dropping the chakram. "You don't have a pathetic excuse of a man for a King."

"I should consider myself lucky that I am not allied with traitors such as yourself." Bakura spat, unable to move his eyes away from Pegasus. "What goal do you hope to obtain by killing your King?"

"Why shouldn't I kill him?" Keith shrugged. "Though you're wrong. I didn't kill my King; you did." Keith pointed to the chakram. "Your weapon is laced with your magical signature, and it's that magical signature that is currently running through that wound dear ol' Pegasus has. Just who do you think they're going to blame for his death, eh?"

"Bastard!" Bakura cried out. "You'll pay for this!"

"Don't make promises you can't keep." Keith picked Pegasus up and made his way over to him. Bakura watched with pity as Keith dropped the King's body as if it were trash. "Especially since you're going to die in a few moments."

With no visible way to break the spell, Bakura lowered his gaze to Pegasus, who was staring at him with dulling, red-brownish eyes.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what that murderous coward did to you."

As if understanding, the dying Sylvantian King reached up weakly, grabbed his leg, and smiled.

**"Stop him." **Pegasus spoke into his mind, his voice stronger than Bakura thought it would be. **"Make sure he dies here." **

**"But how?"** Bakura replied, glancing up to see Keith slowly gathering energy for a spell that Bakura knew was going to be overkill_._** "If you haven****'****t noticed, I can't move." **

**"I never thought you would give up so easily,"** Pegasus replied, his voice growing weaker by the second.** "I will free you, but you have to take care of the rest." **

**"Alright." **

Bakura felt his muscles loosening as Pegasus used the last of his magic.** "I am sorry this happened to you." ** He and Marik planned for this happen. Planned for Keith to brag about his escape and eventually kill Pegasus, but seeing the man laying here brought up an overwhelming feeling of guilt. Pegasus was nothing but a man who wanted to help his wife and keep his country safe. And yet, he was dragged into Elysian's and Atlantis' problems. Used and thrown away like a used rag doll.

**"No need to be sorry."** Bakura suddenly saw a flash of a pale-skinned woman with deep blue eyes and blonde hair. **"I merely need a favor." **

**"Anything."** Bakura flexed his fingers and glanced at Keith again. The man had earth runes surrounding him already. It was only a matter of time before he launched that spell.

**"When this is over. Come back to Sylvantia and stand before my Queen. Tell her that I am sorry for dragging our beloved country into this. Tell her that I love her with all my heart." **

**"I will, I give you my word, Your Majesty." **

**"Pegasus. I am no longer a King."** Bakura felt the man's presence slowly pull from his mind.** "And thank you for listening to this old fool's last words." **

**"No,"** Bakura felt the last of the spell fade away, **"thank you."** Pulling his hand up, Bakura pulled up a barrier to protect himself and Pegasus' body from the spell.

"No!" Keith roared, furious. "You little rat."

Adrenaline pumping, Bakura smirked. "Oh yes, not so smug now, are you?"

"No matter," Keith grinned, running towards him. "I'll still take you down!"

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><p>The City of Haven, a city Ryou had come to love and pity all at once, was slowly burning to the ground thanks to the arrival of King Dartz and his reinforcements.<p>

With no sign of Marik since the first wave of reinforcements had arrived, Ryou had quickly taken command and sent Dmitri and a small squad to find Marik - or at least his body.

Drawing the string of his bow back tightly, Ryou let his arrow fly, impaling the throat of an Atlantian mage.

"Master Lindel! Master Lindel! We've found General Aegnor!"

Firing another shot laced with poison. Ryou glanced to his side to see Dmitri checking over an unconscious - he hoped - Marik.

"Is he alive?"

"Yes, Master Lindel, but he's barely breathing! If he's going to live, we'll need to get him out of here now!"

"Master Lindel!" An Elysian mage came up beside him, panting. "The transportation gate is ready! We leave at your command!"

"And the citizens? Have they been taken to safety?"

"Yes, as many as we could find."

Ryou took another step back, firing three arrows in quick succession. "Very good. Begin evacuating the soldiers. Do not overload the gate or it will collapse. We do not have enough time to make another one."

"Yes, sir!"

"Don't let them get away! Kill the Elysians!"

"Hurry!" Ryou released an arrow with fire runes, killing the incoming squads. "Get as many out of this city as you can."

"Master Lindel! Hurry, please!"

"Is this all that Elysian has left?" a smooth voice came over the roar of magic. "An archer healer?"

Ryou shivered as Dartz's eyes met his. He took a step back towards the transportation gate, drawing another arrow. He would get out of here alive. He had no intention of dying a hero's death.

"Go on, little one." Dartz chuckled darkly. "I have no interest in trouncing weaklings, as fun as that is."

"You'll pay for the lives you've taken, Dartz!" Ryou hissed, going through the gate. "You can be sure of that."

xxxxxxxxxxxx

The medical tents outside Fey were crowded and bustling with activity, but Atemu knew it was merely a mask to cover up the despair and death that lingered daily.

Pulling the flap aside, Atemu peaked inside one of the smaller tents to see Jounouchi cleaning Seto's face with a wet towel, chuckling as his cousin groaned and said something to Jounouchi that caused the Ice mage to scowl and throw the towel in Seto's face.

"I see you're feeling better, Seto." Atemu took a seat next to a still scowling Jounouchi. "You gave us quite a scare."

Seto flushed, much to his amusement, and mumbled something under his breath. Atemu leaned forward and playfully placed his hand behind his ear. "What was that? I couldn't hear you."

"I said," Seto hissed dangerously, or at least as dangerously as an injured man could be, "I was sorry for worrying you two."

"You better be." Jounouchi took the towel and dipped it into the water before wringing it dry. "You looked like death had warmed over when we found you."

"Thanks for the description, but don't think our little discussion is over, Jounouchi."

"Yeah, yeah, if it wasn't for me and Lietunant Fatima, you would've been dead by now."

Atemu raised an eyebrow when Jounouchi made no move to mention General Hermos, Seto's real savior. As Jounouchi placed the towel over Seto's eyes, the younger man caught his eyes and shook his head sharply. He sighed; in the heat of the moment he had forgotten about how prideful Seto could be. If his cousin knew who had really brought him back, Seto's pride would not only be hurt, but he would be angry with him and Jounouchi for even letting an Atlantian near him. He would have to be careful not to mention this in the near future.

The tent to the medical flap opened and a pale-skinned young man raced in. Judging from his robes he was a healer.

"Your Majesty!" The young man bowed hastily. "I am Dmitri, a healer stationed in Haven City. You must come to the main healing tent, immediately."

"Has something happened to Haven?" Atemu asked, already rising from his chair.

Dmitri lowered his eyes. "H-Haven City is in Atlantian hands now, Your Majesty. Forgive me-"

"What?" Seto roared from his bed. "How in the hell did that happen? Where is Marik?"

"Peace, Seto!" Atemu barked out. "Continue, Dmitri."

"King Dartz arrived with reinforcements and we were overrun. Master Lindel took command and ordered an evacuation. All of the refugees are headed to the capital via transportation gate. All the soldiers, uninjured or not, have reported to the spare medical tents."

"And General Marik and Master Lindel? Are they well?"

Dmitri shook his head. "General Marik was heavily injured in battle. Master Lindel is operating on him now. Your presence is needed for a full debriefing, Your Majesty."

"I understand, lead the way."

* * *

><p>AN : Well? That was an eventful chapter eh? Pegasus is dead and Keith still isn't! Don't worry though, that'll change or will it?


	33. Chapter 33

Valkyria : Not going to say much, but to enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer : I claim no rights to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh

Beta'd by : Moondalian.

Current Song : Arigatou, I love you, yet.

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><p><em>"Water cannot rise higher than its source, neither can human reason." - Samuel Taylor Coleridge. <em>

Chapter Thirty-Three: Terra Infirmity.

Bakura watched, frustrated, as Keith destroyed his shadow barriers with increasingly more violent bursts of earth magic. Quickly jumping out of the way as the General tried to mow him down. Bakura released several tendrils of shadow magic and successfully destroyed an arm and leg of the earth armor. His success was short-lived as Keith quickly replaced the destroyed limbs.

"Just how much longer do you think you can keep that up?" Bakura questioned. "I know from experience that it takes quite a lot of magic to sustain magical armor."

"You don't have to worry about such things, Colonel," Keith drawled smoothly. "From the condition you're in now, I'd say it won't take much longer to put you down like the dog you are."

"Confident, aren't we?" Bakura spat out. Rushing towards the general, he sent out a small, but powerful wave of shadow magic, destroying the chest plate of Keith's armor. Sending out another shot of magic, he aimed it towards the general's stomach, knocking Keith back and onto his knees.

"Now, what did you say about me and my current state?" Bakura crouched in front of Keith, physically and mentally preparing to shift. "Well, speak up!"

"Bastard!" Rising to his feet, Keith quickly rebuilt his armor and brought a fist down onto the ground, creating a shockwave and splitting the earth open.

Dodging Keith's attack, Bakura shifted and charged at Keith, who rolled out of the way. Growling, Bakura leapt at the General, slashing at the man's stomach. As Keith reached for him, he shifted and jumped back several paces.

"You aren't going to get anywhere by scratching me like an angry kitten, Colonel," Keith taunted.

"Really now?" Bakura snorted. "Isn't that advice you should be following yourself? You had plenty of time to finish me off earlier, but you wanted to show off by preparing your spell. Now look where it's gotten you."

"Enough of your mocking!" Keith stomped the ground lifting a block of earth up and kicked it towards him.

Cursing, Bakura jumped out of the way and landed safely on the ground. He immediately crouched as three more blocks came his way.

"There's plenty where those came from, Colonel!" Keith screamed gleefully, throwing another three blocks in succession.

Bakura destroyed the earth blocks coming towards him. There was no way that he would be able to stop Keith from producing them. Keith's element was all around them.

"_**Rise! Rise from Eternia's soul! Eternia's heart! Terra Fangs!" **_

Quickly shifting, Bakura avoided the earth spikes rising from the ground. Turning back, he threw his chakrams at Keith, cutting through the chest plate of the general's armor.

"Is that the best you can do?" Keith placed a hand over his scratched armor. "Is this what brought Panic down?"

"Panic was arrogant." Bakura caught his chakrams. "It was his downfall and it will be yours as well."

"My arrogance is deserved!" Keith spread his arms out. "Look around you, Colonel! My magic can spread to the very edge of Eternia! I am one with the land. Nothing can stop me!"

Bakura snorted at the arrogance Keith displayed, but he had concede that that the madman had a point. His magic could be activated anywhere at anytime, but what if it couldn't?

_"I could use that spell...but that would leave me at a disadvantage as well, but it's not like I haven't been at a disadvantage before." _

Smirking, Bakura crouched to the ground and slowly gathered his shadows around him. "You're wrong. Your powers of the earth can't work if there is no earth."

"Spouting non-sense now, are we?"

Spreading his arms wide, Bakura sent Keith a wicked smirk. "_**Devour! Devour the earth, the sky and the sun! Shadow Eclipse!" **_Shadows crawled from underneath Bakura's feet, spreading outwards to cover the ground and solidify as they went.

Keith stumbled backwards, frantically looking around. "W-What is this? What did you do?"

Lowering his arms, Bakura twirled his chakrams around and watched in smug satisfaction as Keith frantically looked around the domain he created.

"It's a nice spell, isn't it?" Tapping his foot against the shadow-covered ground, Bakura chuckled at the growl Keith emitted. "You can no longer call upon the powers of the earth. This is my domain. Let's see how long that pretty armor of yours will last."

"I can still call upon it! Even underneath the shadows!" Bakura simply raised an eyebrow at how weak Keith's boast sounded. He dodged Keith's oncoming strike easily, quickly bringing the larger man down on his knees.

"Just like Panic." Bakura taunted, gripping the general's arm and causing the other man to howl out in pain. "He thought he could defeat me as well."

Keith hissed painfully. "If anyone is arrogant, then it's you!" Bakura pulled back when Keith tried to head butt him.

"You should just give up." Bakura stated bluntly. "I don't see any way out of this for you, except through death."

"Don't underestimate me." Keith allowed the earth armor to designate, much to Bakura's surprise. "You should know better then to underestimate me off all people, Colonel."

Bakura cursed as Keith managed to get out of his hold. He jumped back as Keith swung at him. Was this what the general was going to resort to now? Simple hand-to-hand combat?

"I'll beat you to death!" Keith swung at him again. "I'll be damned if someone of a lower rank kills me! Not when I'm so close to taking Sylvantia for my own."

"Oh?" Bakura landed a few hits to Keith's stomach and chest. "Is that the reason you killed Pegasus? So you could take over his country?"

"Yes! Pegasus was pathetic and weak! He did everything for that barren wife of his. I will turn Sylvantia into a country our descendants will be proud of!"

"The only one who's pathetic is you, Keith!" Bakura landed a few hits on Keith's face. "No matter what you do, Sylvantia and Elysian will forever be tainted by their past executions of the Seers."

Keith dropped to the ground and swept him off his feet, knocking him to the ground. Before he could get up, Keith was on top of him slamming his fists into his stomach, face and arms.

"You're wrong!" Keith hit him with enough force to make his head bounce off the ground. "I'll make Sylvantia even more glorious than Elysian."

Grunting in pain, Bakura called one of his chakram's to him and plunged one of the sharp points into Keith's chest stopping the man's mad tirade. He wrenched it out and felt a breath leave his body as Keith's heavier body fell on top of his. Bakura harshly pushed the general's body off his and rose to his feet. He snapped his fingers, destroying the spell he'd cast on the surroundings.

"You aren't going to finish me off?" Keith's soft question came from behind. Bakura turned to see Keith struggling - and failing - to rise to his feet. A hand covered the wound in his chest.

"I should," Bakura stated bluntly. "I should kill you as viciously as you did Pegasus, but a quick death would be too good for you."

"Coward."

Bakura snorted, picking up his chakrams. "If one of us is a coward, it's you, Keith. You don't care about your country or your men."

"As if I give a damn what you think." Bakura's lips thinned as Keith's breathing slowed. "Watch out for him."

"Watch out for whom?"

"Dartz. There's more going on than you think."

Bakura narrowed his eyes. "Why would you tell me that? You of all people."

Keith coughed, more blood hitting the ground as he did. "Believe it or not, Colonel, I care for the survival of my homeland and my people. Dartz is far worse than I am. He would not hesitate to bring down Sylvantia and I am betting on your pathetic country to stop that from happening. Stop him. Stop him before he brings the wrath of the Gods upon us all."

"What? What in the hell are you talking about, Howard?" As Bakura received no answer, he checked Keith's pulse and cursed as he found none.

"Bakura!"

Glancing over his shoulder, Bakura spotted Ishizu and two soldiers. "Ishizu."

"Oh thank Ra you're okay." Ishizu's hands were all over him suddenly. "Any serious injuries?"

"No," Bakura smiled weakly, finally feeling exhaustion creep up on him. "I'm fine."

"Colonel," one of the soldiers escorting Ishizu saluted sharply, "the Sylvantian forces are retreating."

"You beat them that badly, eh?"

"No, sir," the other soldier, Kaine, replied. "A woman going by the name of Commander Freyja ordered the retreat and told us to tell you, _"We're finished fighting for Atlantis"._ In exchange for the retreat, they want General Howard and King Crawford's bodies."

"Very well. Ishizu, prepare their bodies. I will deliver them personally."

"Bakura," Ishizu gave him a scolding look, "what if this is a trap?"

"We saw the retreat, Lady Ishtar." Kaine reassured. "Only Commander Freyja remains at the command center."

"And afterwards? What will we do after we deliver the bodies?"

"We will head to Fey," Bakura replied. "I have been lax with communications and I'm sure His Majesty will want a full debriefing. Plus, Ryou might need your help since we sent most of our forces, both injured and healthy, to Fey."

"Very well, I'll get started."

* * *

><p>Sugoroku looked up from the assortment of fruits and water to see Fenrir sitting in the doorway leading out onto the balcony. With a grin, he waved the wolf in before grabbing a towel and moving towards his sleeping grandson.<p>

"How is he faring?"

Sugoroku placed the cool towel on Yuugi's sweaty forehead. "He is exhausted and has a bit of a fever, but it's nothing that won't clear up before the day's end."

"Good, I'm pleased to hear it." Fenrir quietly climbed onto the bed and settled himself down next to the sleeping Seer. "The fever and exhaustion are his side-effects?"

Sugoroku made a sympathetic noise in the back of his throat. "I'm afraid so. He's gotten used to staying in bed the day after, but that doesn't mean he likes it." Sugoroku let out a light chuckle. "He always caused quite a ruckus about it when he was younger."

"I can imagine he did." Fenrir laid his head down on the soft comforter. "No child likes to stay in bed."

"Wait until you get to know Jounouchi a bit better. You can't get him out of bed even if you offered him food and new weapons."

"Yes, master Mahad and Seto's young student," Fenrir said, amused. "I heard he has joined Atemu and Seto on the battlefield."

Sugoroku sighed. "Apparently he stole a guard's uniform and snuck into His Majesty's unit shortly before they departed. I will definitely have words with the boy when he gets back."

"Do not be too harsh with him," Fenrir said. "He merely wanted to protect what he loves. You cannot fault or judge him for that. There are not too many men his age who would willingly go to war if they were not called to do so."

"We will see," Sugoroku removed the now warm towel from Yuugi's forehead and dipped it into the bowl of water. "I'm surprised you haven't mentioned it yet. I assume you came here to ask about Yuugi's vision."

"I did not want to be insensitive about it," Fenrir admitted. "Some Seers found it offensive when others asked about their visions. It was an extremely intimate matter."

"Considering what Yuugi told us before he passed out, I think it will take some prying before he will tell us what he saw."

"Death, despair and darkness." Fenrir stared at Yuugi, who was, thankfully, sleeping more peacefully. "Those words disturb me. Has he ever said anything like that?"

"Never." Sugoroku responded, feeling weary. "It seems Yuugi has had a string of bad visions since he saw His Majesty's attempted assassination."

"It's not surprising. Yuugi having that vision was, in a way, a trigger."

"Trigger?"

"Yuugi saving Atemu's life, their meeting and eventual engagement, and the arrival of Dartz and Pegasus; Yuugi's vision lead to all of that."

"So you would say that Yuugi served as a catalyst for all of this?"

"I mean no offense, but yes. The moment he was born, the very moment Yuugi had his first vision, eternia started to change. A slow change, but a change nonetheless."

Sugoroku placed a hand on Yuugi's forehead. "My poor boy. It breaks this old man's heart to see him go through this."

"He is strong," Fenrir stated, pride obvious in his tone. "He will survive this; of that I have no doubt."

A soft moan escaped Yuugi, causing Sugoroku to remove his hand. He grinned when he saw his grandson's eyes open.

"G-Grandpa?"

"Welcome back." Sugoroku ran a hand through the younger man's hair. "How are you feeling?"

"Horrible." Yuugi turned and spotted Fenrir. "Hello."

"Hello, Young Seer." Fenrir placed his head on Yuugi's stomach. "I am relieved to see you awake."

"Where are we?"

"In your chambers," Sugoroku replied. "Are you feeling well enough to eat?"

"No, but I am thirsty." Yuugi reached down and touched Fenrir's head. "Thank you for asking about my well-being, Fenrir."

"It would be rude not to do so. Atemu would despair if he found out that you had a vision and I didn't check up on you."

Yuugi laughed softly. "Atemu would despair if he found I had a vision while he was not here to take care of me. He is an overprotective man."

"A man you love," Sugoroku stated, coming back over with a glass of water. "Can you sit up?"

Fenrir moved to allow Yuugi to lift himself and lie against the pillows. Yuugi gave Sugoroku a smile as he was handed the water.

"We'll get some fruit in a few moments."

Yuugi took a few swallows of the water before pulling away. "It will just come back up. The re-telling of my vision will not be well for my stomach or heart."

"You do not have to tell us now-"

"I do," Yuugi cut off calmly. It was too calm in Sugoroku's opinion. "Especially since Atemu and I were in it."

* * *

><p>Atemu pulled the flap to the main medical tent aside. It was quiet - for once - and that was quite surprising since Ryou had just come through the transportation gate with more than twenty injured soldiers and mages.<p>

Looking around, he saw a few healers checking over sleeping patients or pulling white sheets over who weren't. Atemu quickly turned his eyes away from the sight.

Quietly nodding his head at the soldiers who were awake, Atemu walked to the very back of the tent to see Ryou checking over a sleeping Marik.

"Ryou?"

"Your Majesty?" Ryou turned with a clipboard in hand. "Are you well?"

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm here to ask about Marik. Is he going to be alright?"

"With time, yes," Ryou looked down at the clipboard. "We found water in his lungs but managed to wake him up long enough to get it out."

"Someone tried to drown him? Who?"

"Dartz."

"Dartz?" Atemu sucked in a sharp breath. "Dartz is in Haven?"

Ryou waved a hand to the chair sitting next to Marik's bed. "Maybe it would be best if you sat down so I can give you the full story."

Once Atemu had sat down in the chair, Ryou started to speak again, his voice more calm than Atemu thought it should be.

"Marik launched another assault to push Atlantis back. We didn't have enough troops, but Marik thought the ones we had would be enough. I didn't know it at the time, but Marik ran into General Timaeus."

"So they fought?"

Ryou nodded. "Yes, according to some of our own soldiers the battle had lasted thirty minutes before Dartz arrived." Ryou shook his head, a look of disgust on his face. "The soldiers watching ran away instead of trying to push back and recover Marik.

"When Marik didn't return with his men. I sent Dmitri and a few soldiers out to get him back and ordered everyone to retreat. After we'd gotten Marik back we opened a transportation gate and escaped."

"You're leaving something out," Atemu said, frowning. "What is it?"

"I-I ran into Dartz." Ryou shuddered. "The look in that man's eyes is manic, Your Majesty. It was almost as if he was possessed."

"It is possible that he could be possessed by Leviathan." Atemu gave Ryou a quick once over. "Did he do anything to you?"

"No, thank the Gods." Ryou looked disgruntled and shamed. "He let us go. He said we weren't worth the effort."

"Then I am grateful." Atemu placed his hand on Ryou's shoulder and shook it gently. "Don't be ashamed. You managed to evacuate the citizens and soldiers of Haven, and get Marik out of there safely. I am proud of you, Ryou, and Bakura will be too once he hears of your deeds."

"Has there been any word from Sylvantia? Any at all?"

"No-"

"Your Majesty! Colonel Firimar and Lady Ishtar have come through the transportation gate! Master Lindel, there are injured! Please come to the gate immediately! Lady Ishtar needs your assistance!"

"Very well." Ryou placed the clipboard on the table beside Marik. "Please have someone watch over General Aegnor's vitals until I return."

"Your Majesty!" Another young soldier rushed in despite the healers' harsh glares. "The Atlantian forces are approaching! King Dartz has been spotted."

"How many troops?"

"At least eight thousand."

"Gather what mages and soldiers you can and meet me outside." Atemu turned to Ryou. "I know you have injured to take care of, but I need you to find all able-bodied people in here and give them the clear for battle."

Ryou bowed his head. "I will do so with all haste, Your Majesty."

Atemu nodded in approval before turning to the two reporting soldiers. "Let's get a move on. We have a war to finish."

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><p>AN : So, so, Keith is dead and the confrontation between Dartz and Atemu grows ever closer. Stayed tuned!


	34. Chapter 34

Valkyria : I was saving this for next week, but all of you had been waiting on this long enough. And I have to say something...We have reached over SIX HUNDRED REVIEWS! This is my highest reviewed story and I can't thank everyone enough! But, we are winding down and only have a few chapters remaining so I gotta say that this was one hell of a ride.

Beta'd by : Moondalian

Disclaimer : I claim no rights to anime/manga Yu-gi-oh! nor do I own some of the words used to describe places and name people, those belong to _Grey Company. _

Current Song : Reprise (Vocal) by Ayaka Hirahara.

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><p><em>"Every single person has at least one secret that would break your heart. If we could just remember this, I think there would be a lot more compassion and tolerance in the world." - Frank Warren. <em>

**Chapter Thirty Four: Eternia's Gathering.**

Atemu stood alone on a small hilltop, staring across the expansive fields. In the distance he could see the Atlantian armies marching forward, their strides relentless and determined. The sight of them caused one of his hands to subconsciously slide to where his blade was resting on his hip. It was only a matter of time now before Atlantis would be upon them, and the beautiful land before him would become stained with the blood of his people and Atlantis'.

Atemu's heart twisted at the thought of losing more of his soldiers. He had never been naive enough to think they weren't going to lose a good amount of people, but the numbers from the reports were staggering. It hit home especially when he realized that a good number of the losses were citizens. Atemu could not possibly imagine what went through their minds when Atlantis or Sylvantia invaded a home that normal people were born, lived, and prospered in. Clenching his blade tightly in his hand, Atemu's sadness turned to red-hot anger. His soldiers dying here was a real possibility, but he would make damned sure Dartz was amongst the dead. The Atlantian King would pay for what he had done. He would pay for it in _spades._

"Your Majesty?"

"Bakura," Atemu greeted, clasping a hand on Bakura's shoulder. "It is good to see you again, my friend. I must admit, I am surprised Ryou gave you the clear to enter the field."

"It took some convincing," Bakura admitted grudgingly. "He was acting more like a mother hen than usual, and I did and said some things I am not proud of to get here."

"Ryou has lost much in this war," Atemu stated, quickly jumping to the healer's defense. "It is understandable that he would not let you go so easily, you understand?"

Bakura's lavender eyes darkened with sadness, shame, and anger. "I know of Marik's defeat and Rishid's passing. It shames me, Your Majesty. It shames me that I could not be there for him during his time of need. Ryou is my heart-" Bakura stopped suddenly, looking to the ground in obvious embarrassment.

"He is everything to you, just as you are everything to him." Atemu finished softly. "Do not be ashamed to make such a declaration, my friend." Atemu turned his eyes back to the field before him. "I assume our troops are ready to march?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, but I must report the defeat of General Keith Howard, Colonel Panic and King Crawford."

"Pegasus is dead? By whose hand was he slain? Yours?"

"No, Your Majesty, it was not I who slain King Crawford. In an act of betrayal, King Crawford's life was taken by General Howard. Howard committed the atrocious act in an effort to gain the throne of Sylvantia."

"I see, though he placed allegiance with the likes of Dartz, Pegasus was a good man who loved his country and his wife. It was unfortunate that Dartz used his love against him."

"Unfortunate indeed. With your permission I would like to visit Sylvantia when this war has concluded. I have a promise to keep."

"A promise?" Atemu murmured. "Very well, you have my permission to enter Sylvantian lands once this war has concluded. But be warned, my friend, the Sylvantians will not let you enter so easily, and If you are hurt I will not hesitate to retaliate."

"I understand, Your Majesty, but I have a feeling you will not be forced into such a situation."

"I pray you are right, Bakura." Atemu narrowed his eyes as he noticed the Atlantian armies coming to a complete stop. "Look."

"They're baiting us, Your Majesty," Bakura stated, following Atemu's line of sight. "They are waiting for you to make the first move. It is, without a doubt, a trap."

Atemu scowled. "What a fool they must think I am, but if they wish for me to make the first strike, then so be it. Gather fifty solders, open a transportation gate, and strike them hard from behind."

"And you, Your Majesty? What will you do?"

"I will let them think that they succeeded in baiting me and charge ahead. I have no doubt their first line of defense is summoners, but they shall all fall to the power of Elysian's magic and blades. Go and do your country proud, Bakura."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

xxxxxxxx

With his blade in hand and a roar of triumph escaping his lips, Atemu lead his troops, soldiers and mages alike, clear across the field. And like he had predicted, monsters were instantly summoned.

"Destroy the summoners!" Atemu roared to his mages. "They are the source of those beasts."

Atemu charged forward, beheading a female summoner and the monster she had brought forth. Moving ahead, he killed another four summoners and destroyed their summoning glyphs in the process.

"Kill him!" Atemu heard an Atlantian soldier cry out. "Kill the Elysian Emperor! I want his head on a pike!"

Atemu smirked and held out a hand towards the group of soldiers heading his way. **"Rise from the abyss, oh weapons of hell, and take the lives of the ones that stand before you. Hell Spears!" **With a wave of his arm Atemu sent the dark spears at the soldiers and watched with a sense of satisfaction as they hit their mark. Using the clear path, Atemu continued on, his eyes scanning the chaotic field. There was only one person Atemu desired to see right now and he would kill a thousand men to reach him.

Cutting down three mages, he caught a flash of blue from the corner of his eye, causing Atemu to turn his head. There, a mere few feet away, stood his target in all his shining glory. Seeing Dartz - the one who had caused so much suffering in his home, the one who had used and had played with Pegasus' emotions and honor as a King like a child with a rag doll - caused a burst of dark laughter to escape Atemu's mouth. He would make sure Dartz would not leave this battlefield alive.

Raising his arm, Atemu released a powerful wave of shadows, killing all the Atlantian soldiers standing between him and Dartz. His attack was enough to get the Atlantian King's attention and Atemu met Dartz's gaze with his own. Using his shadows, Atemu transported himself directly in front of Dartz and swung his blade, missing the King's head by a hair's breadth.

"Emperor Atemu Faenor," Dartz greeted smoothly, jumping back and putting some space between himself and Atemu. "It is so good to see you again."

Atemu pointed his blade at Dartz. "I cannot say the same to you, puppet of the Gods."

In reaction to Atemu's insult, Dartz' eyes glowed an ominous yellow. "Puppet? No, no, Your Majesty, I am no puppet! I have been blessed by Leviathan! He granted me his power so that I may remove the Seer from your bloodstained hands."

"Bloodstained hands?" Atemu repeated mockingly "It is you who has bloodstained hands, Dartz, not I. It is you who would sacrifice his people for a folly mission such as this one."

"Folly? No, no mission given by Leviathan can be considered folly. I will obtain your precious Seer and Leviathan will once again bless Atlantis."

"You will have to kill me before you can even consider stepping a foot within Asrai's walls, Dartz. And I will not let such a transgression happen."

"I thought you might say something like that, Emperor Faenor. I have no qualms with killing to obtain the Seer. In fact, I will gladly take your life."

Atemu cautiously stepped towards Dartz as he spotted a rune of water appearing underneath Dartz's feet. Atemu allowed tendrils of shadows to run down his arm and to his blade. With Leviathan's power running through Dartz's magical system, Atemu had no idea just how powerful he had become, but that wouldn't stop him from bringing Dartz down.

"Come," Dartz enticed. "Come show me what you can do, oh Emperor of Elysian."

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><p>Yuugi supposed he should have expected the silence following his confession. As a Seer he knew it was never good to have visions about yourself; dying or otherwise. The worst part of this was the expression his grandfather wore; a look of sadness and resignation. It was as if he knew that this was going to happen one day.<p>

"Atemu and you were in the vision." Fenrir spoke up, breaking the tense silence. "What did you see?"

Yuugi clenched his fists in the blankets, the image of Atemu lying on the ground, motionless, flashing through his mind.

"Yuugi?"

"I saw his death," Yuugi replied, forcing himself to continue despite his grandfather and Fenrir's sharp gasps. "Atemu wasn't moving at all, there was blood everywhere."

"And you?" Fenrir questioned, his tone shaky. Yuugi had never thought he would hear the proud wolf's voice speak in such a manner. "What condition were you in?"

Yuugi opened his mouth to respond but found the words stuck in his throat. How could he tell his grandfather, his only blood relative, he had seen himself dead? Apparently, his silence was too much for his grandfather to take, for he suddenly found his shoulders shaken quite wildly.

"Tell me," Sugoroku demanded harshly. "Tell me you didn't see yourself die!"

"Grandpa!"

"Sugoroku!"

"Tell me!"

Yuugi reached up to clasp his grandfather's hands in his own as he spotted something underneath his sleeve. Gently he pulled the sleeve up and found himself staring at runes the color of the sunset.

Runes? In the color of the sunset?

"Yuugi-" Sugoroku began, pulling away. Yuugi quickly caught his grandfather's arm, pulling the sleeve up to his elbow.

"Grandfather," Yuugi whispered, his heart pounding against his chest. Runes covered his grandfather's arm, and Yuugi didn't need to check to see if his entire body was covered with them to guess at how severe the situation was.

"When?" Yuugi asked, biting his lip to stifle the sob that wanted to escape. "When in the hell did you get the Twilight Plague!"

"Yuugi-"

"How many secrets are you keeping from me? First it was my magical ability, then it was the prophecy, and now this? How could you hide this?"

"This doesn't matter-"

"The hell it doesn't!"

"It _doesn't matter." _Sugoroku placed his hands firmly on Yuugi's shoulders. "What does matter is your vision, do you understand?"

"Grandfather-"

Sugoroku shook his head, cutting him off. "Tell us the rest, my boy. What else did you see?"

"A man," Yuugi responded, trying to keep a firm grip on reality, and suppress the thought that his grandfather was going to _die_. "A man standing in front of a statue of Ra. I couldn't see what he looked like."

"It is alright if you couldn't," Fenrir reassured softly. "Anything else pertaining to Atemu and yourself?"

"No, but I saw darkness and heard crazed laughter."

"You-"

"No," Yuugi cut Fenrir off sharply. "I didn't see anyone. I just heard maniacal laughter. I told both of you what you wanted. Now I want an explanation from you, Grandpa."

"There is nothing to explain, my boy." Sugoroku slid down onto the bed next to him. "I have had this disease for two long years. I wanted to tell you-"

"Did you? Did you really plan on telling me you had this?" Yuugi waved an arm at his grandfather's rune-riddled arm. "Because I don't think you did."

Once again his grandfather graced him with a look of sadness and resignation. "Even if I had told you, my boy, there would have been nothing you or I could have done. I am going to die and I am at peace with it."

"Stop it!" Yuugi hissed. "Don't dismiss your life so casually."

"I'm sorry."

"Are you really?" Yuugi chuckled weakly at the look of shocked anger his grandfather gave him, but he continued, relentless. He was sick of the lies and he was sick of people thinking that he couldn't handle the truth. "Are you truly sorry for hiding this from me? Are you sorry for _anything _that you have done to me?"

"No," Sugoroku whispered, causing Yuugi to shaking his head wildly and causing hot tears to slide down his cheeks. "I'm not sorry for keeping you safe and I'm not sorry for keeping this from you. I wanted to protect you, for you were the last thing I had of my son and daughter. You are _my world, _Yuugi, but you must understand that as a Seer your life is rife with tragedy and I am merely one of the tragedies that you see and you will overcome. But, I _am _sorry for leaving you in this world alone-"

"Stop apologizing, and stop saying those things." Yuugi whispered weakly, allowing a few more tears to slip down his cheeks. "What am I going to do without you? You're the only family I have."

"Now, now," Sugoroku patted Yuugi's hand gently, "you and I both know that's not true. Have you forgotten Atemu, Jounouchi, and Fenrir?"

"No, of course I haven't." Yuugi placed his hand on his grandfather's, preparing himself for his next question. "Which stage are you on?"

"The final one."

"Then how are you...?" _Alive_, Yuugi wanted to finish, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Yuugi turned away when his grandfather gave him a knowing look.

"Like you, my boy, I am - or at least I used to be - a time mage. I am using the last of my magic to stop the disease in its tracks. That is the reason I could not demonstrate how to use time magic to you properly."

"You taught me well nonetheless, grandfather, and I thank you for it."

Sugoroku chuckled warmly. "You're very welcome, Yuugi. I am very proud of you."

Yuugi wrapped his arms tightly around his grandfather, finally letting the tears he had been barely holding back to slide down his cheeks. Yuugi let out a broken sob when his grandfather returned his embrace.

"Grandpa?"

"Yes, my boy?"

"Thank you."

"Hm? For what?"

"For raising me and making me the person I am today."

Yuugi felt his grandpa tighten his grip him to an almost painful grip, but he didn't mind. Yuugi buried his face into his grandfather's shoulder, taking his time to memorize everything about the elder; from his scent to his raspy voice.

Their moment was interrupted when Fenrir let out a deep growl. Pulling away, Yuugi turned his head and saw Fenrir staring out onto the balcony.

"Fenrir? What's the matter?"

Fenrir jumped off the bed and prowled at the open balcony doors. "Something in the air feels heavy, ominous." Fenrir lifted his nose into the air and sniffed, instantly lowering his head and growling. "It smells atrocious."

Yuugi slid out of his bed and followed Fenrir out onto the balcony. Looking around, Yuugi frowned when he saw nothing but the completely blue sky and heard nothing but the wind. "Are you sure, Fenrir? Everything looks fine to me." When he received no reply, he looked over to see Fenrir staring into the distance.

"Fenrir?" He followed the wolf's gaze, frowning when he realized that it was in the direction of Fey where Atemu was fighting. Yuugi's heart dropped at the thought of something happening to Atemu.

"Come inside, Yuugi," Fenrir said suddenly, snapping Yuugi out of his thoughts. "You need your rest."

"Alright."

Forcing himself to turn away, Yuugi followed Fenrir back inside, wondering what the wolf was worried about.

_"Please, be safe, Atemu." _

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><p><em><em>A/N : So Sugoroku is dying as everyone who has been keeping up with those details probably already knew and what did Fenrir sense? Stay tuned and find out.

Thanks for reading.


	35. Chapter 35

Valkyria : So many updates await all of you tonight and I'm proud that I was able to get them out at the time I promised myself. Enjoy the story and I see you at the end!

Disclaimer : I claim no rights to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh.

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><p>Chapter Thirty-Five: Aqua and Tenebrae. <strong><br>**

The sounds of battle had faded away, leaving the fields almost eerily quiet. It reminded Atemu of the battle between his ancestor, Emperor Aldan, and the King of Atlantis, Marcellus. In fact, that had been exactly like this. Both sides had halted their attacks and, like eager children, turned to watch their rulers duke it out. Without a doubt, this battle between Dartz and himself would decide the future of their countries. The very thought of putting Dartz six feet into the ground caused a rush of excitement to flow through him.

Flipping backwards to avoid the columns of water Dartz brought forth, Atemu landed on his feet and unleashed three large waves of shadow magic, charging towards Dartz slightly behind his third wave. Once he'd deemed himself close enough, Atemu jumped, bringing his blade down and slicing through the shield Dartz brought forth. Before he could jump back, Dartz unexpectedly broke the shield and blasted him with a torrent of water, knocking him back and to the ground harshly. Atemu had no chance to collect himself before Dartz was suddenly upon him, bringing his spear down. Atemu rolled out of the way; grabbing his blade from the ground and pushing himself up.

Atemu forced his blade into a forward strike, narrowly missing Dartz's neck. Bringing it back, he swung again, this time colliding with Dartz' spear. He quickly pushed down, forcing Dartz back a step.

"Very good," Dartz panted out. "I expected no less from the Emperor of Elysian; the so-called prodigy and savior."

"And I expected no less from the King of Atlantis," Atemu countered, staring into the man's possessed eyes, "the man who turned out to be nothing but a puppet of the Gods. What are their plans for you, I wonder?"

"You mock me," Dartz hissed, "but, you fail to realize that you are a puppet of the Gods just as I am."

Atemu snorted, breaking their contact. "Me? A puppet? You must be mistaken. I am not the one who is sacrificing his people to the will of a God."

"Oh, but you are," Dartz sneered. "Are you not bringing your people to the battlefield solely for the reason of protecting your precious consort? Just as I did, you ordered your soldiers to their deaths."

"That may be true," Atemu acknowledged bitterly, "but, there is a difference between you and I, Dartz. I did not force my people here on false beliefs!_ 'To protect the Seer from blood-stained Elysian hands_', is that what you told them? When the real reason is because you wanted nothing more than to satisfy your greedy God!"

"So what if I did?" Dartz chortled. "My people are devoted to me and Leviathan. Why, they would jump into the very pits of hell if I so desired it."

"You underestimate them, Dartz." Atemu brought his blade down, once again colliding with Dartz' spear and creating a series of sparks. "Your people will not be so willing once they discover that you think of them as nothing more than pawns."

Pulling away, Atemu thrust his sword forward and growled when Dartz managed to match him strike for strike. Ducking when Dartz attempted to take his head off, Atemu dragged his blade along the ground and brought it up in an upwards slash, making a sizable dent in Dartz' armor and knocking the man onto his back. Rushing forward, Atemu made to plunge his sword into Dartz' heart, but connected with the Atlantian's shoulder when Dartz quickly moved to the right.

Atemu jumped back when Dartz waved his left arm, releasing a torrent of water. Jumping into the air, Atemu quickly landed back on his feet and plunged his sword into the ground, releasing a wave of shadow spikes. As he moved to take his sword out, Dartz slammed a palm onto the ground, sending a multitude of water columns his way.

Atemu moved out of the way, cursing when his blade flew in the air because of one of the water strikes. With his sword lost for the moment, Atemu shaped his shadow magic into a bow and arrow and fired several shots in Dartz' direction. He felt a sense of triumph as one of his shadow arrows impaled Dartz' hand, making him drop the spear.

Pulling the shadow string taut, Atemu prepared to fire again when a strike of lightning caught his attention. Atemu narrowed his eyes as he heard Dartz chuckle from his crouched position.

"What is it that you find so funny?" Atemu aimed the arrow at Dartz' neck. "Do you want to get the last laugh in before you die?"

"No," Dartz stared at him and Atemu tensed as he noticed that Dartz' eyes had become a dark blue, "but, do you know that we water mages can manipulate water any way we please?"

Without another second of hesitation, Atemu fired the shadow arrow, not deterred when Dartz stopped it mere inches from his neck. Dissipating the bow, Atemu manipulated his shadows into a spear and launched it; giving him the time he needed.

_**"Emerge from the darkness and devour the corrupt soul that stands before you! Hellhounds! **_As his shadow hounds emerged from the ground, Atemu charged slightly behind them, only to come to a halt when Dartz stood from the ground and destroyed them.

_**"Surround the one that stands before you and melt the flesh from thy bones! Acid Daggers!"**_

Holding his hands in the air, Atemu created a barrier around himself as the spell flew towards him finishing off his remaining hounds. His heart twisted as one of the smaller ones released a pained howl before bursting into shadows.

"How long do you think that pathetic shield is going to hold against my spells, Emperor?" Dartz chuckled. **"**_**Crush! Drown! Envelop! Fall down upon thy foe and cover all! Tidal Wave!"**_

Atemu released a sharp breath as a large wave of water came down on him, cracking his shield to an irreparable point. With no choice, Atemu took a deep breath and destroyed his shield submerging himself. He was swept back harshly and landed on the ground several feet away. Coughing, Atemu rose from the ground only to be knocked back by another blast of water.

"Is this all Elysian has to offer?" Dartz taunted loudly. "Is this the so-called prodigy of Elysian!"

Atemu felt a flash of red-hot anger at Dartz' insults. Rising to his feet, Atemu melded his shadows into a blade and ran towards Dartz, narrowly managing to dodge the onslaught of water magic. Deeming himself close enough, Atemu brought his blade down and slashed Dartz across his chest plate. Shattering his blade, Atemu called forth a multitude of shadows and grabbed Dartz, slamming him into the unforgiving ground harshly. Lifting the Atlantian up again, Atemu moved to command the shadows to slam Dartz down again when the Atlantian disappeared in a flash of yellow light.

Atemu looked around frantically and tensed as he felt an all-too familiar presence at his back. He grunted as he felt the metal tip of a weapon against his neck.

"I wonder," Dartz drawled from behind him, "what Elysian would do without its Emperor? Will it fall into decay? Or will it prosper with the Seer at its head?"

Atemu growled as Dartz put pressure on his back with the spear. "Your overconfidence is sickening."

Dartz chuckled, dragging the spear slowly up Atemu's spine. "Really? I find it to be one of my more redeeming qualities."

"Tell me," Atemu began, dragging his hand to his waist for the knife resting there. "Why does Leviathan want Yuugi so badly? What plans does he have for him?"

"Is this a last request?" Dartz questioned.

Atemu grasped the knife and glanced at Dartz over his shoulder. "Yes, if you are going to kill me, I deserve to know what your God wants with my consort."

"Very well, I shall tell you what you desire. I am, after all, a merciful man. The Seers are Ra's children. All citizens of Elysian are, of course, but the Seers are Ra's _true _children for they hold a very small portion of his blood and magic. That's what gives them the ability to see the future and, as an added bonus, gives them absolute quintessence of the element they hold. Do you know who the very first Seers were, Emperor Faenor?"

"Jaden Yuki, and Syrus and Zane Truesdale."

"That's right, but there was one other who was erased from the history books. I believe he was a part of your bloodline, yes?"

"Yusei Fudo was erased from the history books of Elysian in order to preserve his honor as a Seer, something you wouldn't know about." Atemu hissed.

"Preserve his _honor_?" Dartz chortled. "Or preserve his sacrifice as a vessel to Ra during the Ethereal War? Oh, and let's not forget about his guardians Kalin Kessler and Jack Atlas."

Growling, Atemu unsheathed his knife and swung at Dartz, roaring in outrage as the Atlantian disappeared in a flash of yellow light. "How dare you?! Yusei Fudo was an honorable man and I will not allow you to mock him."

"He was nothing more than a pathetic _vessel_, Emperor!" Dartz taunted. "Nothing more, nothing less."

Atemu spun around, and managed to jump back as Dartz fired another water blast. Quickly bringing a shadow blade to his hands, he parried as Dartz brought his spear down.

"You're one to talk," Atemu snapped, pushing Dartz back, "you are nothing but a puppet yourself!"

"I may be a _puppet_, but at least I was willing." Dartz thrust his spear forward, smirking when the tip of his weapon caught Atemu on the side wounding him. "I wonder if Yusei was willing…"

"_Silence!" _Atemu hissed, clutching his bleeding side. "You know nothing-"

"I know everything." Dartz cut in smoothly. "I know that Leviathan plans to preserve the Seer as his personal vessel. But you do know what needs to happen first, right?"

Taking his hand off his wound, Atemu furiously charged towards Dartz, bringing down his shadow blade on the spear harshly again and again until he heard the strong wood crack. He wouldn't let it happen. He wouldn't let Yuugi die so that Leviathan could his body as a vessel.

Atemu jumped back as Dartz unexpectedly dropped his spear and, with a wave of his hand, sent a strong wave of water towards him. Seeing an opening, Atemu charged forward and plunged his shadow blade into Dartz' chest and twisted the sword, Atemu pushed it deeper before pulling it out and bringing a spray of blood with it.

Atemu watched with a sense of sick satisfaction as Dartz fell to the ground in a tangle of limbs. Taking a deep breath, Atemu suddenly became aware of the triumphant cries of his soldiers and cries of surrender coming from the Atlantian soldiers. Looking around, he spotted Timaeus and Hermos standing next to Bakura; all three commanders were looking at him with weary relief. Timaeus and Hermos bowed their heads and Atemu felt a small surge of sympathy for the Generals, who were now without a King.

Turning away, Atemu stared down into Dartz' quickly dulling eyes. "It's over."

"Is it?" Dartz rasped weakly. "Do you really think it's over, Emperor?"

Atemu quickly brought the tip of his shadow blade over Dartz' neck. "Shall I take your head to make it official? Can't have you jumping me with a surprise attack, can I?"

Dartz pulled his bloodstained lips into a weak smile, his pale lids closing over dulling eyes. "Fool, you will realize that I will win in the end."

Once he'd seen that Dartz' eyes were closed and his body was still, Atemu pulled his blade away and finally allowed himself to breathe a sigh of relief. It was over. It was truly over. Turning around, he raised his blade into the air and grinned weakly as his soldiers roared louder.

"This war is over, my people! Elysian is triumphant!"

_"Is it? Is this war over, Emperor of Elysian?" _a voice whispered into his mind. Atemu tensed and lowered his blade, the noise of his people fading away. He slowly turned to Dartz' cooling body to see it glowing red. He hissed and gripped his shadow blade. Maybe it would have been better if he'd decapitated the man after all.

Atemu watched, horrified, as Dartz' body rose from the ground and the red aura surrounding it grew brighter. He vaguely heard the cries of horror coming from the soldiers, and Timaeus and Hermos crying for him to get away. Atemu couldn't take his eyes away as Dartz' once luminous blue hair became black and the broken silver and blue armor disappeared and was replaced by black and red robes. He stepped back and dropped his shadow blade as Dartz' eyes snapped open to reveal red ones.

"Leviathan?" Atemu breathed in horror as Dartz - or maybe Leviathan? - floated to the ground, his silk robes billowing out behind him.

"No, I am not Leviathan. That weak and pathetic God was slain by my hand two years ago. Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Zorc, God of Darkness and creator of the nation of Sylvantia."

Atemu shook his head in part denial and part fear. He could only watch as Zorc looked around with obvious curiosity. His vermilion eyes glowing with power. Atemu shuddered when those eyes locked onto his own.

"Where is he? Where is Ra's child?"

Clenching his fists, Atemu swallowed back his fear and scowled. "I will not tell you where he is."

Zorc raised an eyebrow at Atemu's refusal. "Still confident, Emperor of Elysian? It is just like Ra's mortal-bound children to act out. He never was good at keeping them on a leash."

Atemu gave the Dark God a weak smirk. "Like you were, _my lord? _You were good at keeping your precious Sylvantians well-trained. So much so that they feared you and brought themselves almost to the brink of extinction."

Zorc narrowed his eyes. "You are definitely a cheeky one, Atemu Faenor." Zorc snapped his fingers and Atemu fell to his knees as the energy was taken from his body. "I do not like cheeky ones such as yourself. Now, I will ask you one last time, where is Ra's child?"

"All around you." Atemu chuckled breathlessly. "We are _all_ Ra's children."

Zorc released an over-exaggerated sigh. "Very well, if you will not tell me." Zorc teleported himself directly in front of Atemu. "I guess I will just have to find out for myself."

Atemu grunted when Zorc placed a palm on his forehead. As he tried to move away, he suddenly found himself rooted to the spot. He could only stare helplessly as Zorc read his mind. The God pulled away and Atemu hunched over, further drained from the process.

"I must say," Zorc murmured. "Yuugi Motou is certainly a beautiful young man, Atemu. You are very lucky to have obtained his hand in marriage, despite the circumstances."

"You will not _touch _him." Atemu hissed weakly. "I will make sure of it."

"Poor little Emperor," Zorc purred darkly. "You think you can defeat me, a God?" Zorc reached forward and grasped Atemu's chin tightly. "It is too bad that you will never get the chance to try and see if you _can _defeat me. You see, you have outlived whatever usefulness you had. As a matter of fact, all of you have outlived your usefulness."

"_You-!" _

_**"Shatter! Obliterate! Devour! Wipe out all of the souls that stand before you and drag them to the pits of the underworld! Dark Apocalypse!"**_

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><p>Yuugi jumped as the necklace Timaeus had given him slid off his neck and dropped to the ground. Frowning, Yuugi bent down to pick it up and, much to his despair, found that part of it had cracked. Before he could think further about it, a deep growl caught his attention.<p>

"Fenrir?" he called, rising from the floor to see the wolf at the balcony doors. "What's the matter?"

"Something is coming!" Fenrir lowered his head as his growl deepened. "Get inside! Now!"

"But-"

"_Do as I say!" _Fenrir roared.

Yuugi flinched at the order and nodded weakly. As he quickly gathered his books, he turned to the view of the city and frowned as he saw a cloud of darkness coming towards them.

"What is that?" Yuugi whispered, narrowing his eyes at the large black cloud. He watched in fascination and fear as it smoothly covered the city in darkness. What was it and where did come from? He had no more time to think about it as his grandfather's voice reached his ears, frantic and anxious.

"Yuugi!" Sugoroku cried out, coming outside and grabbing his arm as soon as he was within reach. "Get inside, quickly now!"

Yuugi opened his mouth to reply when he felt Fenrir tug on his robes and forcibly drag him inside, causing him to drop his books. "Fenrir-" he gasped sharply as he discovered that the darkness had already covered more than half of the city. He tried to tug his robes free from Fenrir's teeth. "I'm fine! I'll walk inside, Fenrir!"

"Watch out!"

At his grandfather's warning he was roughly pushed behind the older man and Fenrir. He reached a hand forward as he saw his grandfather become swarmed in a bright green light. With his heart pumping against his chest, he grasped the elderly man's robes knowing full well what was about to happen.

"Grandfather! Don't-"

_**"Surround and halt the throes of time of thy souls that stand before you! Ethereal Barrier!" **_

"Sugoroku!" Fenrir roared in despair. "No!"

Yuugi felt his entire body become enveloped in a green light, but he paid it little attention as he watched in despair as his grandfather collapsed to the cold ground. He didn't have the time to be shocked as the darkness rushed towards him and knocked him back and through the open doors of the balcony. He landed harshly on the ground of his chambers, moaning weakly as the pain quickly caught up to his brain. Slowly raising his head he spotted his grandfather and Fenrir through the shadows that now covered the room.

He shuddered as another wave of pain rushed through him. He was surprised that flying into the room hadn't made him pass out. Using his palms as a brace, Yuugi weakly rose to his feet and limped back to the balcony, falling to his knees once he'd reached his grandfather. With a shaking hand, he shook his grandfather's shoulder in an effort to wake him up, but a part of him, the dark and cynical part, already knew.

It knew that his grandfather was dead.

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><p>AN : Whew! What a chapter, eh? I bet you guys never expected Zorc to come into the picture, eh? Where is Leviathan though? Or was Leviathan even around this whole time? Questions, questions, which will be answered in the next few chapters. When I say that it's going to get worst before it gets better I mean it.

Thanks for reading!


	36. Chapter 36

Valkyria : We have reached six-hundred and sixty reviews and I can thank everyone enough for sticking with me. Though to be honest, I really enjoyed everyone's reaction to the fact that it was Zorc this entire time and not Leviathan. All of you have no idea how long I had been waiting to see your reactions! Well, college has started to a good start. My coursework will be light, but my updates to these stories will be sporadic at best. I have already updated 3 out of 8 of my stories for the week and the remainder will come during this week and next.

With four chapters of Emperor's Prophecy remaining, I plan on doing a long author's note on the last chapter explaining what scenes were cut out which I'm sure all of you will enjoy?

Disclaimer : I claim no right to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh!

Beta'd by : Moondalian.

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><p><em>"The black moment is the moment when the real message of transformation is going to come. At the darkest moment comes the light." - Joseph Campbell. <em>

**Chapter Thirty-Six: To the Unhallowed Ground**

Numbly Yuugi gently turned his grandfather's lifeless body onto its back, stifling a broken sob as he saw the runes covering his grandfather's face. With badly shaking hands, he crossed his grandfather's rune-riddled arms over his chest and gently closed his eyelids. He laid his head on the elderly man's chest and sent a quick prayer to Ra to grant his grandfather safe passage to the Ethereal Realm.

Lifting his head from his grandfather's chest, Yuugi forced himself to look at the elderly man's rune-riddled face. This was all his fault. If he had just gone inside like Fenrir had ordered him to, his grandfather would still be alive. But no, instead he had stood frozen like a fool while ignoring their pleads. And now because of his foolishness his only remaining blood relative was gone.

Yuugi looked down at his hands and was unable to hold back the sob that escaped his lips as he saw the green time barrier surrounding him. Seeing the power that surrounded him was like a slap in the face; a reality check that constantly reminded him of his grandfather's sacrifice.

As he was about to reach for his grandfather again, he felt a nudge on his thigh. Looking down, he found himself pinned to the spot by Fenrir's intense gaze. Once again, he found himself wracked with guilt as he realized that he had forgotten about the wolf in his grief.

"Are you alright?" Yuugi questioned softly, lowering his hand and running it through the wolf's coarse fur, "Fenrir?"

"I am alright," Fenrir rasped out. "What about you? You were not harmed, were you?"

"No," Yuugi bit back another sob, "I'm alright. What happened?"

Fenrir lifted his head and Yuugi's heart wrenched as the wolf released a whimper at the sight of his grandfather's still body. He lifted his hand and laid it on top of Fenrir's head, sighing as Fenrir clenched his emerald eyes shut in an obvious effort to hide his tears.

"Yuugi-"

"I have grieved," Yuugi cut the wolf off quietly. "And I will grieve again when this war has come to an end. Please, tell me what this darkness is."

Fenrir opened his wet eyes and lifted his nose into the air. "I do not know, but it is...unnatural. It does not belong in this world and yet you can almost say that it does."

"I don't understand." Yuugi's brow furrowed in obvious confusion. "It belongs in this world?"

"I know that it is a strange thing to say, but that is how it feels." Fenrir stated, sniffing the air. "It's pulsing, alive. It's-" Fenrir quickly lowered his nose and snarled. "It can't be."

"Fenrir?" Yuugi questioned, worried about the wolf's sudden anger. "What's wrong? Do you know where this darkness came from?"

"It's not where it came from, Yuugi. It's _who _it came from." Fenrir rose to his shaky legs. "This darkness belongs to Zorc, God of Darkness. These are the same shadows that covered the world during the Ethereal War." The wolf gave him an inquisitive look. "Tell me, is this the darkness that showed up in your vision?"

Yuugi looked around, shivering as he saw nothing but shadows. Not even the city below was clearly visible. "It's the same. I really hope I don't start hearing that creepy laughter next." He rose to his feet. "If this part of my vision came true, then what about Atemu? Is he..?"

"I am sure he is fine, Young One. Atemu can be quite resilient when the occasion calls for it." Fenrir reassured, turning his eyes away from the Seer. "We can't linger here any longer. The barriers are protecting us from whatever effects the darkness around us has, but I have no idea how long they will last."

"What about Atemu-"

"Yuugi," Fenrir cut in sharply, "I know you are worried about Atemu, but there is nothing we can do for him now. He would want you to be safe and I am going to make sure that happens."

"What place could possibly be safe, Fenrir?!" Yuugi waved an arm towards the dark city. "For all we know all of Eternia could be like this! So tell me, what place could we possibly go?"

"The ancient hall of the Radiant," Fenrir replied. "All of our hopes lie there. We can fix this, Yuugi, but you have to be the one to do it. You have to be the one."

"Why me?" Yuugi ran a hand through his hair. "Why does it have to be _me?" _

"You are Ra's true child. You carry his blood." Fenrir stated. "If there is a chance to defeat Zorc and put his darkness to rest, it lies in you."

"This," Yuugi snorted bitterly, "really stinks, Fenrir. It really does."

"I know it does, little one." Fenrir stepped closer to him. "But I also know that you won't let us down. You haven't before and you aren't going to now."

"No," Yuugi stepped towards the table and grabbed his knives, strapping them to his thigh, "I'm not." He turned to his grandfather and smiled sadly. "I can't afford to."

"Come," Fenrir prowled into the chambers, "we have a long way to go to reach the hall, and it is very likely that there are creatures lingering in the darkness."

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><p>Unfortunately for Yuugi, Fenrir was right. As they progressed down the three floors, they encountered a multitude of monsters, all of which Yuugi - with Fenrir's help - managed to cut down. As they reached the first floor, Yuugi leaned against the wall and took a deep breath. "It's getting harder to breathe."<p>

"The darkness is particularly strong down here," Fenrir explained. "Do you need a break? I believe we can spare a minute or two."

"No," Yuugi pushed himself off the wall and wiped the sweat off his forehead, "we're making good progress. I don't want to slow us down."

"If you are sure." Fenrir glanced ahead. "The entrance to the chamber leading into the hall is straight ahead. It won't be much longer now."

"You said that this darkness belonged to Zorc," Yuugi began as he took his first step down the empty hallways, "How can that be? I thought he had been sealed away by Leviathan and Ra?"

"He was, at least he was supposed to be," Fenrir murmured, "but, that seal was thousands of years old. I have no doubt that Zorc was working on a way to get out. He is a smart and manipulative God according to the legends."

"Grandfather told me that, but could he possibly want?" Yuugi searched the wall and let out a noise of triumph when the wall slid open revealing a set of stairs.

"He is the God of Darkness, he lives to disrupt the lives of innocents," Fenrir allowed Yuugi to go first before climbing down himself. "Zorc was known as a very good shape shifter during the Ethereal War. There was many a time when he snuck into Atlantis or Elysian and assassinated an important figure or even a member of the royal family. It is one of the few reasons why the war was so devastating."

Yuugi opened the door and sucked in a sharp breath when he saw that the hall was also covered in darkness. "Is there no place Zorc didn't touch?"

"We must hurry." Fenrir raced down the grand staircase. "Come, Yuugi!"

Racing after Fenrir, Yuugi abruptly came to a stop when a glow of bright light appeared from the corner of his eye. Glancing over his shoulder, he spotted the display case holding Aldan's blades glowing dully. Entranced, Yuugi made his way over to the display case and placed a hand on the glass and startled when it felt warm to the touch.

_"Strange. I never thought they would allow consorts down here." _

Yelping, Yuugi took his hand away from the glass and frantically looked around to find the source of the voice. Where did it come from? It couldn't have possibly have came from the case could it?

Curious, he placed his hand back on the case and a deep, amused voice entered his mind and it took everything Yuugi had in him not to take his hand away from fear.

_"Ah," the voice was mixture of sadness, amusement and just a touch of bitterness. "A Seer and a fellow time mage." _

"E-Emperor Aldan?" Yuugi whispered, his eyes widening when the blades glowed brightly to response. "What? I don't understand-"

_"It seems that part of my soul remained in my blades and Zorc's arrival awakened it." _Aldan explained. _"I take that none of my descendants are around?" _

"No-"

"Yuugi," Fenrir called from a short distance away, "What are you doing?"

_"Gods, it has been an eternity since I have heard that gruff voice! Fenrir, my old friend!" _

"Fenrir," Yuugi swallowed the lump in his throat at how _sad _Aldan sounded. "come over here, quickly! look!"

"Yuugi?" Fenrir slowed to a stop next to him and his eyes narrowed at the sight of the glowing blades. "What's going on? We have to hurry-" he froze when the glow grew brighter and a familiar feeling settled over him. "A-Aldan? I never forget that magical signature! _Aldan." _

_"Fenrir, my old friend.." _

"He misses you, Fenrir," Yuugi pressed harder against the glass, flinching only a bit when the warmth of the glass became a little hotter at the Emperor's excitement. "Zorc's resurrection woke up the small part of his soul that remained in his blades."

_"You plan on going against Zorc? A foolish thing to do, child. I sense that you have only recently awakened your magical ability." _

"We don't have a choice." Yuugi said, all to aware of Fenrir curious gaze. "It's either Fenrir and I or no one at all."

_Aldan was quiet for a moment before speaking again, his tone thoughtful and resigned. "Very well then, I insist that you take me with you." _

"I can't do that! Your blades are considered scared within the Faenor family! It's blasphemous to remove them!"

"_It is alright, little one," Aldan reassured. "you can always return the blades later and to be honest, you have little defense against a God. With me by your side, you stand a better chance." _

"I don't know how-"

_"You needn't worry about not knowing how to wield the blades." Aldan interrupted gently. "I will guide your hand and you will be a force to be reckoned with. I promise you that. But, for this to work, you must cooperate with me. Well? What say you, Seer?" _

"Okay," with his heart beating against his chest, Yuugi opened the display case and took out the twin blades. He shivered as their power raced up and down his arms. He knew about Aldan's power from Leon's journal, but it seemed that the legendary Seer miscalculated just how powerful the Emperor was. No wonder Atemu's family was always considered S-Class Mages.

"I assume that Aldan will be joining us?" Fenrir stepped closer to Yuugi and placed his head on Yuugi's arm and growled approvingly when Aldan's voice echoed throughout his mind; joyful and full of pride as it always been.

"Yes." Yuugi replied, tightening his grip on the blades and feeling a rush of comfort and confidence. Good. He would need both in the end.

"Those are dangerous weapons," Fenrir warned. "One swing can unleash all three abilities. If you are going to use them, you must be careful. Do you understand?"

"I understand and Aldan says stop worrying so much."

Fenrir released a bark of laughter. "I have a right to worry! Aldan is a wild, reckless man. Now come, the darkness lingering in this wall worries me."

Following behind Fenrir, Yuugi raced towards Leon's chamber, mindful of the blades in his hands. Coming to a stop once they'd reached their destination, Yuugi tightened his grip on the hilt of the blade and looked around.

"No one's here." Yuugi looked ahead to see the door with the golden barrier. "Shall we?"

"Yes, all you need to do is touch the door and that should break the barrier."

_"Ah," _Aldan spoke up again as he advanced towards the door. _"That's your plan, eh? I never expected any less from Fenrir and my descendant." _

Yuugi stepped towards the door and placed a shaking hand on the barrier. He flinched as it instantly shattered; turning to Fenrir and giving the wolf a worried look.

"Are you sure about this? What if it doesn't work?"

"We do not know that." Fenrir chided. "You cannot give up so easily."

Pulling the door open, Yuugi stepped inside. He gasped at the size of the room, but the most magnificent part of it was the almost gargantuan statue of Ra in the very center.

Lowering his blades, Yuugi took a tentative step forward. "I saw this in my vision," he turned to Fenrir. "Is this supposed to save us?"

"Yes-"

"Are you planning on waking my brother up?" a smooth voice called out.

"W-Who's there?" Yuugi raised his blades and scanned the room. "Come out now!"

A chuckle echoed throughout the room, causing Yuugi to tense. Where was it coming from?

"It's nice to finally meet you, Seer Motou. Though I must say I'm disappointed you did not come alone. I wanted to speak to only you."

"You'll have to excuse me when I say that I don't care that you're disappointed. Now come out." Yuugi raised his blades, ready to swing them. "I will not ask again."

"Very well, I will let you see me. But please spare me the surprise, alright?"

A movement from behind the statue caught Yuugi's eye and he pointed his blade towards the statue. Soon enough a man drenched in black walked out. Yuugi shivered as the man's vermillion eyes locked with his own.

"Who are you?"

The man bowed mockingly. "I am Zorc, God of Darkness. It is a pleasure to meet you."

At hearing the man-God's name, Yuugi started to shake. What was he going to do? There was no way that he could kill a God! Even with Aldan and Fenrir beside him, there was no way-

_"Calm your mind, little one!" Aldan scolded harshly. "Fear is the first step towards death! I am here and so is Fenrir!" _

Yuugi took a deep, shuddering breath at Aldan's reassurance and asked. "Why are you here? Why have you done this?"

"I do not have to answer the questions of a mortal. I suppose that you are a special case, though, Yuugi, so I will answer." Zorc ran a hand down one of Ra's wings. "I am here for you, and you are the reason why I have done all of this. I want to wipe out all that Ra has and all that he loves."

"Green isn't a good color for a God." Fenrir spat out. "You want to destroy what your brother-God has created because you can't have it."

"Neither of you know this, but Ra is the youngest." Zorc stated as if he hadn't heard Fenrir's venomous words. "He was my beloved little brother. I cared for him and he cared for me once upon a time. But our differences were too great and we disagreed quite a bit." Zorc stared at Yuugi. "The matter of the Seers is one thing we fought over. To gaze into the future is a gift that only a God should possess. No mortal should be allowed to gaze upon events not yet seen."

"Is that why you did all of this?" Yuugi questioned harshly. "To get rid of the Seers? To get rid of Elysian itself?"

"Yes, but you are a special case, Yuugi. You are untrained." Zorc stepped closer. "You are untainted by the laws of the Seers and it is because you are untainted that I will be able to use you and the blood of Ra that you possess inside you. The first Seer, Jaden Yuki, made sure that his descendants, his brethren, were strong of mind, unable to become vessels for the Gods. But you do not know his techniques and thus…"

Yuugi was pushed back by Fenrir, who by this point was glowing with power. Yuugi shivered as Zorc chuckled at them both. Throughout Zorc's confession he had found himself increasingly disgusted by the God's words, but a lingering thought hit him full force. If Zorc wanted to get rid of the Seers…

"You," Yuugi whispered, horror dawning on him. "You're the one responsible for the execution of the Seers three hundred years ago! You're responsible for Emperor Aldan's descent into madness."

_"Yes, little one," Aldan sounded grim. "It is that evil that drove me to madness and death. I have longed for this day. Longed for the day where I could confront him for all of his sins." _

Zorc threw his head back and let out a dark chuckle. "I may have been responsible for it. Just a little bit."

Yuugi flinched as Fenrir releasing a howl loud enough to rattle the walls. Before he could grab the wolf, Fenrir charged towards the God. Yuugi could do nothing but watch, horrified, as Zorc simply grabbed Fenrir's neck and slammed him into the ground, creating a crater in the stone floor.

"Bad dog," Zorc taunted. "You aren't supposed to attack your master. I can hear your Sylvantian blood sing, pup. I am not foolish enough to believe that you hail from the forests of Elysian."

"Stop it!" Yuugi cried out as he saw Zorc produce a knife from the shadows. "Let him go!"

"Or what?" Zorc taunted.

As Zorc brought down the knife, Yuugi swung the blades down, activating all three runes of light, darkness and time. Yuugi wasted no time rushing towards Fenrir as the magic pushed Zorc back and through the opposite wall.

Sliding down next to Fenrir, Yuugi leaned down and could have cried out in joy as he heard Fenrir's shallow breathing. He tensed as he heard Zorc's laughter through the cloud of smoke coming from the wall.

"You are a persistent child, aren't you?" Zorc stepped out of the smoke, holding a sword in his hand. "If it is a fight you want, then you shall have one."

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><p>AN : What a chapter, eh? Aldan joins the fray as the spirit of his own blades! Now it Yuugi, Aldan, Fenrir vs Zorc! Who will be the winner? Stay tuned to find out!


	37. Chapter 37

Valkyria : I know it's been a while since this has been updated and I'm sorry for that, but you know how real life gets in the way, right? Anywho, is everyone ready for the fight for Zork vs Yuugi? Good, I knew you were! Enjoy the chapter.

Disclaimer : I claim no right to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh

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><p><em>"I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles." - Christopher Reeve<em>

**Chapter Thirty-Seven: Yuugi's Glimmering Hope and Ra's Descent.**

Yuugi's heart raced against his chest as he shifted into a defensive stance, making sure to block Fenrir from Zorc's sight. He shivered as he locked eyes with Zorc. This was it. If he didn't stop the God here and now, the sacrifice his grandfather had made would be wasted. Tightening his grip on Aldan's blades, Yuugi swallowed to wet his dry throat. He knew the odds were stacked against him, but that didn't mean he wouldn't try.

"_You can do this, little one." _Aldan whispered into his mind_. "Fenrir and I are here with you."_

"The blades in your hands look familiar, little one." Zorc said, smirking as Yuugi took a cautious step back. "I think they belonged to Emperor Aldan, correct? Ah, yes, I believe they did belong to him. Splendid things they were. The fact that they had three abilities felt liberating. After all, it had been centuries since I had laid eyes on a triple-gifted. I think you are very brave for wielding them, little one. They are, after all, the swords of a madman."

Yuugi frowned, feeling Aldan's pain race through his mind. "They were only the swords of madman because you turned him into one, Zorc. Emperor Aldan was an honorable man and I will make sure that the people of Elysian and Eternia know it."

Zorc took a step forward and Yuugi almost fell to his knees as he felt the God's power push against his own. "Look at you, little Seer, already making plans. But I see you've failed to realize that you have no future."

"I _have _a future with my friends and Atemu."

"Atemu," Zorc repeated, chuckling. "You think you have a future with a dead man?"

"Dead?" Yuugi breathed. "I-I don't believe you! Atemu isn't dead-"

"_Yuugi, I sense no lies from his lips." _Aldan whispered grimly._ "I'm sorry." _

No, no, no, _no. _

"How could you!?" Yuugi screeched, shaking his head wildly. "Atemu did nothing to you!"

"He got in the way," Zorc stated flatly. "He did not have to do anything more than that."

Yuugi let out an agonizing scream and allowed Aldan to guide his hands to bring the blades down to unleash a large blast of light magic, which Zorc blocked as if it were nothing, much to Yuugi's frustration.

"I am going to enjoy this." Zorc slid into a defensive stance. "It is not every day that a mortal such as you has enough courage to take on a God like me."

"You are no God," Yuugi stated firmly. "A God does not needlessly massacre people, nor does he order his creations to march to war for the purpose of gaining a single vessel."

"I can do as I please with my creations, and if I want them to march to war then they shall march to war and sacrifice themselves as I see fit." Zorc pointed his sword at Yuugi, his red eyes glowing brightly. "And if I wish to have a vessel such as you then I shall see to it that I get it."

"I will not be your vessel and I will not allow you to cause more damage than you have already done." Yuugi activated the time runes on Aldan's blades. "I will stop you here, even if it costs me my life."

"Bold words, little Seer," Zorc swept a hand over his sword, the runes glowing a bright blue. "Let's see if you can back them up."

Yuugi charged towards Zorc, swiftly moving out-of-the-way as the dark god attempted to blast him with a wave of shadow magic. He brought his blade down and grunted as Zorc quickly parried his attack, pushing him back. Quickly activating the light runes, Yuugi swung his blade in a horizontal motion and sent out three blades of light, rolling out-of-the-way as Zorc effortlessly sent them back.

"Is this the best you can do, little Seer?" Zorc taunted, advancing towards him. "Is the this height of your skill?"

Holding his blades out, Yuugi activated the time runes and halted Zorc's attack. Jumping into the air, Yuugi brought his weapons down and hissed as they collided with Zorc's, causing a shockwave to ripple throughout the room.

Landing on the ground, Yuugi forced his body forward and smirked when he managed to push Zorc back. "Is this the best you can do?" Breaking their contact, Yuugi dragged his blade along the ground, bringing them up in an upward slash while simultaneously releasing a burst of light energy. "Am I seeing the true power of the Gods?"

"No," Yuugi sucked in a sharp breath as Zorc disappeared in a flash of light and appeared behind him. "You have seen nothing yet."

Zorc swiftly grabbed his neck and lifted him into the air. Yuugi dropped the blades to the ground and clawed at the God's hands. He choked as he suddenly found himself staring into Zorc's sadistic gaze.

"You are not so proud now, are you, little one?" Zorc chuckled. "I may want you as a vessel, but that doesn't mean I can't rough you up a little.

Yuugi felt the air return to his lungs as Zorc abruptly released him. The feeling didn't last as Zorc launched a fist into his stomach, sending him backwards and into a wall. He had no chance to recover before Zorc was upon him again, lifting him up once more.

"I am going to beat you within an inch of your life," Zorc hissed as the shadows curled around him. "You don't know how good it feels to beat one of Ra's children into a bloody pulp."

"I-I imagine it must feel pretty good for a sore loser like yourself." Yuugi coughed, wincing as he tasted the metallic tang of blood on his tongue. "I never thought the day would come when I would see such a bratty god like you, Zorc."

"Oh really?" Zorc chuckled softly. "Well, there's a first time for everything, isn't there?"

Yuugi heard the crackling of lightning before his body became alive with pain. Through the sound of lightning he vaguely heard the sound of screams, and realized he was making the noise. Zorc released another bolt of lightning and Yuugi screamed until his throat became raw. When it finally stopped, Yuugi painfully opened his eyes and locked his gaze with Zorc, who had a smug smirk on his lips.

"Have you had enough, little one?" Zorc questioned. "Or do you think you can handle another round?"

Yuugi heard a growl through the haze of pain, and suddenly found himself being dropped to the ground. Numb, he watched as an injured Fenrir tackled Zorc to the ground and attempted to rip the God's throat out. He could do nothing but watch as Fenrir and Zorc wrestled with each other.

Attempting to open his mouth, Yuugi tried to warn his friend - to tell him to stay away. But as he saw a blade emerge from Fenrir's back, he knew that words would be useless. Tears trailed down his cheeks as he watched Zorc toss Fenrir off him as though he was a piece of trash. As the wolf came to a stop, he found himself staring into quickly fading emerald eyes. He watched, amazed, as Fenrir opened his bloodstained jaws.

"...statue..."

'_What?'_ Yuugi blinked slowly. What was Fenrir trying to say?

"...blood on statue..." Fenrir whimpered. "...your blood...statue..."

Moaning in pain, Yuugi slowly reached forward and laid a hand on Fenrir's blood-stained fur. "Fenrir? I...don't understand what y-you're saying."

Yuugi watched in amazement as Fenrir crawled closer to him and placed his jaws next to his ear. "...he will come...if you spill your blood on his resting place."

"Fenrir? I don't-" Yuugi looked up to see Fenrir slowly closing his eyes. Panic running through his veins; he shook the wolf to get him to open his eyes. "Fenrir!"

"Don't bother," Zorc stated. "That troublesome dog is already gone."

Yuugi ignored the God's harsh words, and continued to shake his friend. As the seconds ticked by, though, he slowly realized that Fenrir wasn't going to wake up and he had lost him. Rage burning through his veins, he turned and faced Zorc, who was watching him silently.

"Are you through trying to revive your dead dog?" Zorc questioned, looking bored. He raised his blade to Yuugi's eye-level. "If you are, shall we continue?"

"You will pay for this." Yuugi rose to his feet, his body still throbbing with pain. "I'll make sure that you'll pay for this, Zorc."

"You are certainly welcome to try." Zorc smirked. "After all, I have not seen the true potential my vessel has."

Yuugi reached his shaking, slightly burnt hand down to his thigh and reached for the knives, while his gaze shot past Zorc and to the statue of Ra. _'Is that what Fenrir meant? To spill my blood on his resting place? Ra's resting place?'_ If that's what Fenrir meant, the only problem was getting past Zorc, who could easily catch him despite his time powers.

"Are you thinking of surrendering?" Zorc questioned curiously. "It would be better for you if you did. It would be less painful for you."

Swallowing, Yuugi ignored the God's taunts and sliced a cut across his palm, wincing at the pain. Clenching his bleeding hand, Yuugi locked his eyes with the God's for a moment before flinging his knife and warping himself in front of Ra's statue. He heard Zorc roar in outrage and he quickly placed his hand on Ra's claws. He smiled as the statue started to glow golden.

"No!" Zorc roared, furious. "You little rat!"

"I told you," Yuugi panted, watching as the statue started to crack. "I'll make you pay for the sins you committed on Elysian's ground. I am disappointed that it will not be me who passes judgment on you, but I'm satisfied that it will be your brother who will do it in my place."

"Die," Zorc hissed from behind Yuugi, plunging his blade into the Seer's back. "I no longer want such a disobedient vessel."

Yuugi grabbed Zorc's blade and stared into the God's eyes. "I'm happy, then." He coughed up a good amount of blood before continuing. "I'm so happy that my body won't be polluted by a darkness such as yours. I can die satisfied knowing that."

Yuugi dropped to the ground as Zorc viciously pulled his blade from his stomach. He stared up at the ceiling and smiled as the sounds of a roar and the flapping of wings reach his ears. Weakly, he reached his bloodied hand into the air and watched as Ra's golden light surround it. He couldn't believe he'd done it. He'd saved all of Eternia. It was too bad that he would never see Zorc die. That was the only thing he was truly regretful about now.

As soundd from his ears and the darkness of death slowly claimed him, a strong voice reached him; penetrating his mind as clear as day.

_Don't give up, my brother; my fellow Seer, your time on Eternia is not done._

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><p>Yuugi was warm, sleepy, and for the first time in what felt like years, he felt content. <em>Is this what being dead feels like?<em> If it was, he never wanted to go back. He honestly didn't. It was okay, though. He'd done all he could and he would leave the rest to Ra, who should be kicking Zorc into the next life right about now.

He wondered if he'd be able to find his grandfather, Fenrir, and Atemu in the Ethereal Realm. He hoped he could. He wanted to see them again so badly. As he relaxed and continued to float, he felt a nudge at the back of his mind. He frowned and tried to ignore it as he felt the nudge again. This time it was hard enough for him to open his eyes.

"About time you woke up!" a cheerful voice spoke from his left. "I was getting kind of worried for a minute there."

Yuugi turned his head in the direction of the voice and frowned as he found a lanky young man floating beside him. He looked around and shivered as he found nothing but endless whiteness. Was this the Ethereal Realm?

"It's limbo." the young man replied as if reading his mind. "You're not dead. At least not yet."

"W-Who are you?"

"Jaden Yuki, I guess you can call me your ancestor."

"My ancestor? I don't remember a Jaden Yuki in my family."

Jaden laughed, loud and bright. "I'm not related to you by blood, but by power. I'm the first Seer to grace Eternia. I'm Ra's oldest son."

"You're Ra's oldest son? The first Seer?" Yuugi breathed.

"That's right." Jaden floated towards him, grabbing his arm and pulling him upright. "It's nice to finally meet you, Yuugi. Leon and Amadeus have told me a lot about you."

"Leon and Amadeus?" Yuugi looked around. "Are they here too?"

"No," Jaden's waved his hand dismissively. "Amadeus is in the Ethereal Realm and Leon's soul is with your body. He's the only one keeping you in limbo."

"I don't understand," Yuugi whispered. "How is he with my body if Leon is dead?"

"That's easy," Jaden shrugged. "Leon is Ra's favorite and since you were the Seer next in line after him, Ra figured you'd do better if he was the one who kept you from dying on us."

"So," Yuugi repeated, making sure he understood that he wasn't dead, "Leon is keeping me in limbo by keeping me from dying. But what about Ra? Where is he?"

"He's fighting that jackass Zorc." Jaden shook his head with a fond smile. "Ra has been asleep for a long time and everyone in the Ethereal Realm is happy someone finally woke him up."

"Sleeping? Was he really that weak from the Ethereal War?"

"Afraid so, Zorc really tore him a new one." Jaden sighed. "He stayed asleep for almost millennia and since time flows way faster here, that'd mean Ra has been asleep for about four thousand years."

"I see, can I ask you something?" When Jaded nodded, Yuugi continued, "Why is Zorc doing this? Why does he want the Seers dead?"

"Believe it or not, Zorc was a really kind God once. He loved Sylvantia, but when Ra created Elysian and the Seers, Zorc grew bitter at how much attention Ra was paying his creations. That bitterness turned into jealousy and here we are now."

"So, he did all of this because his brother stopped paying attention to him?"

"It's one of the reasons." Jaden gave Yuugi a frown. "I'm sure he told you this, but Zorc believes mortals don't deserve the power to look into the future. He believes that humans go along with whatever hand Fate deals them."

"Is it really so bad?" Yuugi asked softly, staring into Jaden's gentle brown eyes. "Is it really so bad to gaze into the future and try to change it?"

"What do you think?" Jaden asked in return. "Have your Seer abilities helped or hurt you?"

"Both," Yuugi responded honestly. "It-It helped me saved Atemu's life."

"Well, there you have it." Jaden chuckled. "If the Gods gave us the gift, don't you think we should use it? At least as long as we don´t go around abusing it, right?"

"Right. Jaden, is Atemu here? Can I see him?"

"You'll see him again," Jaden said vaguely, "I promise. But for now, you need to get back to help."

"Haven't I done enough?" Yuugi attempted to pull away and growled when Jaden refused to let go of his arm. "I want to stay here. I want to rest! Please, Jaden, let me rest."

"I can't," Jaden murmured. "It's not your time yet to rest, and I'll be damned if I let it happen before it's time. Now, go us Seers proud and kick Zorc's ass!"

"How am I supposed to help him?" Yuugi asked, relaxing in Jaden's hold. "I'm to weak-"

"You're not," Jaden protested firmly. "You took on a God knowing that you'd probably die. That's not weak in my book, that's damned strong. As for helping… Well, you'll know what to do. Are you ready to go?"

Yuugi looked down into the endless white, avoiding Jaden's curious eyes. Was he ready? Was he ready to go back and face Zorc and the shattered world that was his home? He was scared, but his instincts told him he had to go back. He couldn't leave this unfinished, even if that's what he wanted. Staring into Jaden's eyes, he nodded.

"I'm ready."

* * *

><p>AN : What a chapter, yeah? Fenrir is gone and so Atemu and Yuugi, but Yuugi found the strength to come back and try again. I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter and have a good weekend.


	38. Chapter 38

Valkyria: We're almost done with Emperor's Prophecy. It's been a long, long, ride and I'm really happy everyone enjoyed this story. I've had so many heartfelt reviews that I still glance over them. Thanks for sticking with me everyone. These chapters have been re-edited!

Disclaimer: I claim no right to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh! nor do I own the words used, those belong to _Grey Company._

Beta'd by: Moony

* * *

><p><em>"You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: It is victory, victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival." - Winston Churchill<em>

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Seer's Triumph

Yuugi opened his eyes and took a deep, shuddering breath, wincing when his muscles and lungs screamed in protest at the action. Looking up, he found himself staring into a pair of relieved, golden eyes. Yuugi instantly clammed up and tried to move away, growing frustrated as a pair of strong arms pinned him down. He struggled harder, but stopped when the owner of the arms chuckled.

"Calm down, I'm not going to hurt you."

"I don't know that," Yuugi spat out, escaping his captive's arms and crawling away. Whirling around, he froze as he had a good look at his captive's face. No way. There was no way he was staring at who he thought he was staring.

"I'm real," his captive reassured him, rising to his feet and dusting himself off. "I apologize for scaring you, Yuugi. I really meant no harm."

"Y-You're-" Yuugi shook his head, blinking several times and even going so far as to pinch himself on the arm. This couldn't be possible. He couldn't be staring at Leon von Schroeder right now. "You can't be him. He's dead."

"Well," Leon grinned sheepishly, "I suppose I have you to thank for bringing me back to the mortal realm, though I'll only be here until Zorc falls."

Yuugi turned to the empty dais where Ra's statue had been sitting before turning back to Leon. "How did bringing Ra here revive you?"

"I was appointed as Ra's guardian a few centuries after I died," Leon explained, crossing his arms. "It was because of my connection to him as his guardian that I was able to come down with him."

"Where is he?" Yuugi rose to his feet, looking around. The room was completely destroyed, but devoid of any gods. "Where are Ra and Zorc?"

Leon looked up and Yuugi quickly followed his line of sight, suppressing his surprise at the sight of the massive hole. He could see the sky perfectly, but what caught his attention where two bright lights moving erratically.

"Can Ra defeat Zorc?" Yuugi asked, lowering his gaze back to Leon.

"No," Leon responded honestly. "He can't, not without us. He's been asleep for too long and hasn't returned to full power."

"But what can we do? It's not like we can fight a God." Yuugi shivered as his own humiliating battle flashed before his eyes. "Believe me, I tried and it didn't turn out too well."

"It's okay," Leon soothed, holding out a gauntlet covered hand. "We can and will defeat him."

Yuugi stared at Leon's outstretched hand, shaking his head. "How can you be so confident about this when so much is at stake?"

"I'm confident because there's so much at stake," Leon stated calmly. "If we let hopelessness and despair claim us, we'll have already lost before the battle has even begun." Leon reached his hand out again. "So, will you come with me, Yuugi? Will you help me and Ra reclaim Eternia?"

"I think you're mad," Yuugi murmured, grasping Leon's hand. "But that's what I like about you best, Leon."

"Well," Leon chuckled, lifting them up into the air, "I'm told that insanity is one of my redeeming qualities."

* * *

><p>The skies above Asrai were clear and bright, but it did not hide the tremendous power Yuugi felt as Ra and Zorc clashed. He watched in awe as the two Gods attacked each other with a viciousness that screamed despair, loss, and anger.<p>

"Are you ready?" Leon asked softly, gently placing him down on a large circular glyph. "Your timing will be essential in stopping Zorc's attacks."

"I'm ready." Yuugi tentatively stepped forward, wincing when Zorc knocked Ra back with the hilt of his sword. "What are you going to do?"

"I'll be joining in their little scuffle." Leon lifted himself off the glyph and floated into the air. "It is one of the reasons I'm here after all."

"Good luck," Yuugi smiled at the older Seer, who quickly returned the gesture, "and be careful. There's still a lot I want to ask you."

"Of course," Leon mock-saluted and disappeared in a flash of light only to reappear between the two gods, managing to land a hit to Zorc's jaw.

_"Time is a fickle thing, my boy, you must handle it with care and precision." _

With his grandfather's words echoing in his ears, Yuugi held out his hands and kept his gaze firmly locked onto the battle between Ra and Leon, and Zorc. When Zorc appeared behind Leon, Yuugi gently but firmly forced his power out and halted the energy blast in its tracks. He didn't find himself surprised nor did he shiver in fear when Zorc's eyes locked onto his own.

"Oh, what's this?" Zorc's deep voice echoed loudly over the skies. "Another one of your precious children joining the fight, _brother? _Three against one is a little unfair, isn't it?"

"You're one to talk about unfairness, brother." Ra shot back, firing a blast towards the dark god. "Did you display any fairness when you cornered Leviathan and took his life?"

"Leviathan was weak and pathetic." Zorc hissed, moving out of the way of Ra's shot. "He deserved to die."

"You deserve the same fate, brother." Ra stated coldly. "And I will be the one to hand you your judgement."

"Judgement?" Zorc mocked. Yuugi didn't miss the lingering anger and amusement in the God's voice. "What right do you of all people have to pass judgement?"

"You killed our brother as though he was nothing!" Ra roared, pulsing with enough power to bring Yuugi to his knees. "You killed my children as though they were nothing but trash! I have every right to pass judgement on a pathetic God like you, brother."

Zorc snorted, releasing a large blast of energy which Yuugi slowed down enough for Ra to dodge. "Your children? They are not your children. They are simply mortals blessed with your gift. Nothing more, nothing less."

"You're wrong." Ra flew towards Zorc and locked blades. "They aren't simply mortal to me. They are my children. My blood runs through their veins."

"I am more of a relative to you than they are," Zorc hissed, breaking their contact and punching Ra in the face. "And yet here you are, willing and able to kill me."

"You think I want this?!" Ra slammed his fist into his brother's stomach. Pulling back he slammed his fist into Zorc's jaw. "I want us to live in peace, brother! To live alongside our creations. But you chose to destroy the balance of the world and the bond between us because of your petty jealousy."

"Jealousy? Why would I be jealous of those bugs you call your _children?_" Zorc slammed his booted foot into Ra's stomach, knocking him back. "They have done nothing but bring this world to ruin."

"No, brother," Ra coughed, covering his abdomen. "They have not brought this world to ruin. It was us who did that. We forced them into war, forced them to bear our burdens. Do not lay blame where it is not deserved."

"Why do you care so much for them?" Zorc demanded harshly. "They are nothing but insignificant insects that no longer deserve to live." The God placed a hand against his chest. "Understand that they are nothing but greedy, insignificant-"

"No," Ra cut Zorc off firmly. "They are not insignificant insects. They are living beings and if you do not understand that, then you don't deserve the power that runs through your body. Nor do you deserve the title of a God."

"And you think you deserve it?" Zorc countered swiftly. "Giving mortals the power to change their fates is something a God should not do. I will wipe your little Seer out and then you will be next!"

Yuugi sucked in a sharp breath as Zorc fired a shot towards him. Before he was given a chance to slow or block the shot. Ra teleported in front of him and lifted him off the glyph just as the energy shot impacted and destroyed the magic circle.

"Are you alright?" Ra asked quietly, setting him down on a newly created glyph. "You are not hurt?"

"No," Yuugi whispered, staring into Ra's deep green eyes, quickly shaking himself from his stupor. "I'm fine."

"Good," Ra murmured, looking pleased. "We have much to discuss, little one, but that shall come later." The God raised a hand when Zorc advanced, unleashing a wave of ice and creating a shield as Zorc easily sent the attack by his way.

"Protecting him?" Zorc mocked, swinging his blade and successfully creating a crack in Ra's shield. "You should think more about yourself and less about your _children."  
><em>Ra pulled away from Yuugi and locked his blade with Zorc, pushing his brother back. "You will never understand what I feel for them, Zorc."

"And I do not wish to." Zorc broke their contact and waved his arm, causing the sky to darken. "I wonder how long you'll be able to protect your precious Seers?" Clenching his fist, the skies opened. "**Rain down destruction upon thy enemies! Meteor Storm!"**

Yuugi raised his arms, creating a shield and watching in horror as large meteors covered in blue fire came crashing down. He flinched harshly when one passed by, almost knocking him off the glyph. Yuugi shook as he heard the meteors crashing to the ground. He couldn't even begin to comprehend the destruction that spell caused.

"This world!" Zorc roared over the sound of the raining meteors, advancing towards Ra. "This world will be recreated in my image." Zorc fired a series of lightning bolts towards his brother. "The people I create will bend to my desires."

"You want a world with nothing but slaves!" Ra dodged the lightning bolts, sending out waves of fire. "I will not allow you to destroy this world." Spreading his arms, Ra became consumed by flames. "I will always love you dear brother, but you have gone too far. I will be the one to put an end to you."

Zorc smirked, his own body becoming consumed by shadows. "You can try, dear brother. You are too welcome to try."

Ra raced towards Zorc, leaving a trail of fire in his wake. Thrusting his blade forward, he grinned as it connected soundly with Zorc's. Forcing his power into his blade, Ra pushed Zorc back and forced out a wave of fire and light. Not giving his brother enough time to recover, Ra continued to attack, pummeling the other god with a flurry of sword strikes. Falling back, he quickly sheathed his blade and held out his arms.

"**Gather! All elements of Eternia and consume the one that stands before you! Element Cannon!**"

Ra advanced as the ball of fire, ice, lightning, shadow and light shot out from behind him, mercilessly finding their mark. He swung his blade again, impaling it in Zorc's shoulder and twisting it.

"Is that the best you can do, brother?" Zorc croaked. Reaching up he grabbed the blade through his shoulder. "You'll have to do better than that."

Ra grunted in surprise as he tried to remove the blade to no avail. He pulled away as it became consumed with shadows. He quickly brought up a shield as Zorc flung the blade towards him.

"Don't hide behind you shield now, brother." Zorc sped towards him, knocking a fist against the shield and shattering it like glass. "I have just begun to play with you." He grabbed Ra's neck and punched him in the stomach with a shadow-covered fist. He tightened his grip on Ra's neck as the lighter god tried moving away from his blows. Getting one last hit in, he released his brother and punched him in his jaw.

Producing a blade from the shadows, Zorc brought it down only for it to be parried by Ra, who was clutching his abdomen. Breaking the contact, he swung again only to be attacked from the side unexpectedly. Grunting, Zorc turned to see Leon smirking at him, his golden eyes gleaming and magenta hair swinging wildly in the wind.

"You dare interrupt us?" Zorc pointed his blade at Leon. "You will do well to remember that if I kill you, your soul will be lost."

"I'm aware." Leon swung his fists and connected with Zorc's blade, causing them to vibrate strongly. "But, I will do whatever it takes to erase you from existence."

Ra came in from behind and grabbed Zorc's arms, giving Leon the opportunity to unleash a flurry of blows that hit Zorc in the face and down to his stomach. Clenching his fist, Leon called forth his light element and punched Zorc in his stomach, causing the god to cry out in pain and spit up blood.

Zorc roared, blasting his brother and Leon back. Producing another blade, he teleported directly in front of Leon and slashed at the Seer's chest, creating a deep enough gash that it caused Leon to howl in pain and clutch in pain. Grabbing Leon's neck, he plunged his sword into the Seer's stomach and violently twisted it and pulling it out. He flung Leon away and turned his attention to Ra, who looked frozen, shocked at Zorc's action. Zorc tensed as Ra roared in fury, his body erupting in flames.

He fired a shot only for it to be slowed down, he whirled around to see Yuugi holding out one arm while cradling Leon in the other. Smirking, he charged towards the Seer only to be blocked by Ra.

"You will not get by me," Ra hissed. "You die here and now."

Ra raised his arm, clearing the skies and showing a bright-yellow glyph. He lowered his arm, causing the glyph to glow even brighter before several light beams escaped, all directed at Zorc.

As Zorc raised a shield to block the attack, Ra suddenly appeared in front of him with a blade raised. The younger god brought the sword down, slashing Zorc down the middle. The attack was enough for Zorc to be caught in the light attack and Ra watched impassively as his brother was literally ripped to shreds by the endless light beams.

When it ended, Zorc was a bloody mess. His once luminous robes were ripped, showing his muscles. His black hair was singed and torn, and his face was covered in blood. But what tore Ra's heart to shreds was the look in his brother's once bright, happy, and intelligent vermillion eyes. It was a look of utter sadness, pain, and defeat.

Before he knew it, Ra was racing forward and catching his brother, quickly creating a glyph for them to land on. Adjusting his brother's position, he stared into Zorc's fading eyes. His vision blurred as tears threatened to spill from his eyes. He didn't want it to be like this.

"Oh, stop crying, brat." Zorc coughed, blood coming up and covering his lips and chin. "You knew that this was going to be the outcome."

"It didn't have to be," Ra countered, his voice strangled. "I didn't want this. I never wanted this, brother."

"And yet, it happened regardless." Zorc groaned, shaking with pain. "We cannot control Fate, Ra. Not even us Gods. We are all victims of circumstance and destiny. It is futile to try to change it."

"Is that why you grew angry with me? With Elysian?" Ra whispered, gripping his brother tighter as another tremor of pain overcame Zorc. "Because I gave them the chance to change their destinies."

"Yes." Zorc closed his eyes, leaning against Ra's arm. "Why should they, mere mortals, be given the chance to change the destinies handed down to them, when we Gods have no choice but to accept ours? I do not regret killing Leviathan. It was written in the weave of fate so it was to be done."

"But, should we not have a choice, dear brother?" Ra leaned his forehead against Zorc's bloody one. "Should we not have the opportunity to change our future? To break the weave of fate?"

Zorc chuckled coldly, a spurt of blood coming from his mouth. "We should, but we don't. I don't think we ever will." Laughter fading away, Zorc reached up and cupped Ra's cheek. "But it is admirable that you tried."

Ra reached up and grabbed Zorc's bloody hand, a small whimper escaping his lips as he saw his brother start to fade away. "Brother...I..."

"Don't cry, Ra." Zorc chided gently. "It won't do for the only god remaining in Eternia to cry." Tilting his head back, he smiled bitterly as tears rolled down his own bloodied cheeks. "I'm sorry that you have to fix my mistakes, dear brother. I truly am sorry."

"It's alright. It's my job as your brother to fix your mistakes and I will do so gladly." Ra tightened his grip on Zorc's hand. "Go in peace, brother, and maybe, just maybe, fate will allow us to meet again one day."

"I dearly hope so, brother." Zorc smiled brightly. "I dearly hope so."

Ra finally allowed his tears to run down his tan cheeks as Zorc faded away in a burst of purple light, he clenched the energy and bent over, letting a pained sob escape his lips. Taking a deep breath, he rose to his feet and numbly teleported himself to where Yuugi and an injured Leon were waiting. Lowering himself to his knees, he placed a hand over Leon's wound, healing it.

He smiled as Leon took a deep, shuddering breath and climbed out of Yuugi's embrace. Ra nodded his head when Leon gave him a concerned glance. He clamped a hand on his child's shoulder and grinned weakly

"Are you alright, my lord?" Yuugi asked softly, he had vaguely heard the conversation between Zorc and Ra, and while he was happy that Zorc had been defeated, that did not erase the fact that Ra and Zorc had been brothers, family.

It did not excuse the Dark God of his atrocious crimes, but when it came down to it; family was family.

No matter how malicious they became.

"I will be fine, my child. This battle has come to its conclusion, but we have much work to do." rising to his feet, Ra covered both Seers in a golden light. "Come, let us return to the surface."

* * *

><p>The skies above Eternia were a beautiful, bright blue with white clouds in different shapes and sizes, but the same could not be said of Eternia's surface. The ground was blackened and charred, the rivers, lakes and oceans bone dry, depriving the marine life of their home, and the cities and villages were nothing but dreadful ruins-remnants of their former glory.<p>

Yuugi felt nauseated as he took in the state of his home. He knew that the combination of Zorc and Ra's strength would devastate the lands below, but never did he imagine this much damage. He turned his eyes away as Asrai City came into view-he did not want think about the state the soldiers and citizens bodies would be in after Zorc's spell.

The Seer blinked back the sudden onslaught of tears at the thought of his friends and family. What happened to Jounouchi, Ryou, Mai, Anzu and Seto? Was everyone even alive?

"It's okay, Yuugi." Leon whispered, reaching over and grabbing his fellow Seer's hand and grasping it tightly within his own. "We will fix everything, I promise."

"I know that we will, Leon." Yuugi said, blinking back his tears. "I just never thought I would see my home like this." he turned and stared into Leon's golden eyes. "Is this is what happened during the war when you were alive?"

"No, but some cities were raved to the ground and villages were destroyed, but Eternia was saved from this state of destruction." Leon explained gently. "War is full of despair, anger, and loss, and the best thing we can do now is fix the rights that were wronged."

"Indeed." Ra agreed quietly, floating down to fly next to them. "It shall not be too difficult to fix this mess that my brother and I have created." Ra's green eyes met Yuugi's. "I trust that you are not hurt, my child?"

Yuugi blushed lightly at the concern in Ra's voice before shaking his head. "N-No! I am okay, my lord. You and Leon took the brunt of the attacks."

"Be that as it may, I hope that you did not take too much of a beating when you faced against Zorc before my awakening." Ra continued, a flash of pride coming over his handsome features. "Your courage is truly admirable."

"T-Thank you." Yuugi turned away, only to blush brighter when he caught the amused twinkle in Leon's eyes. This was embarrassing to be constantly praised by a God and his spiritual ancestor. "I really didn't do anything that was worth admiring."

"No?" Ra's voice had turned just as amused as Leon's eyes. "With Emperor Aldan's blades in hand, you took on an arrogant God knowing that there was a small chance that you might not survive the battle. To face death with that courage is admirable, little one."

"Definitely." Leon agreed heartily. "If you don't think you don't deserve some kind of credit, then I'm going to have to disagree with you, Yuugi. So, do both of us a favor and take the credit gracefully, alright?"

"Alright. I-Thank you."

Leon snorted. "I wish Jaden was this grateful."

Ra chuckled, the deep sound echoing along the clear skies. "I am inclined to agree with you, my son."

* * *

><p>Neither the palace nor the city of Asrai fared any better than the rest of Eternia's surface. The palace's splendor was gone and in its place stood nothing but ruins. It seemed nothing had survived Zorc's onslaught, and it made Yuugi realize one startling fact as they landed on the balcony of his and Atemu's chambers.<p>

"I can't be the only one left alive?" Yuugi's knees felt weak at the wretched thought. "Someone must be still alive other than me!"

"I'm sorry, Yuugi." Leon murmured, his eyes pained at Yuugi's sharp intake breath. "Please, don't worry, alright? We're going to fix this." the legendary Seer met Ra's gaze bravely. "Right?"

"Of course, but there is something that I would ask of you, Yuugi." Ra bent down to Yuugi's level and grasped his chin. "Do you want this world to be restored? I know that I said that I would fix the mistakes that Zorc has wrought, but this world..." Ra turned his eyes to the destroyed city. "This world is filled with chaos and despair and it has not seen true peace in centuries."

"What," Yuugi grasped the God's well-muscled arm to turn the Ra's attention back to him. "Just what are you asking me, Ra?"

"I'm asking-" the God seemed hesitant and Yuugi's stomach dropped. "I'm asking if you want to join your family and friends in the Ethereal Realm." Ra held up a ringed hand to forestall Yuugi's words. "This world is degrading and the only thing holding it together is small and gradually weakening threads of magic. So, I am asking you, my child; will you join me and Leon to Ethereal Realm? You do not have to worry about this world any longer."

"I can see my grandfather and grandmother and parents again?"

"Of course." Ra smiled, his emerald eyes shining despite the darkness around them. "You can see all of your Seer brethren as well."

Yuugi's eyes slid close at the thought of his seeing his family-seeing _Atemu _again. He wanted to be held in his fiancé's arms, to be embraced by his mother and to have his hair ruffled by his father and Jounouchi. He wanted to hear his grandfather's infectious and joyful laughter and his grandmother's beaming smile and wise eyes.

Yet, was it right for him to do this? To say yes and have Ra wipe this world from existence so that he could be happy? What of the rest of Eternia? What did the people of Eternia want?

It was a question that he could not answer and would never be able to answer for if he agreed to Ra's proposition, then the people of Eternia would never have a chance to be happy nor would they have the opportunity to achieve their dreams. Never again would they would have the chance to laugh, cry, get angry, to be happy or to even experience pain through emotional or physical means.

The Ethereal Realm was endless, breathtaking, and painless; it was a realm of peace and stability. It was not a realm where pain existed. It was not a place where people could reach their full potential.

So, what was he to do?

"No."

The word was firm and held such finality that Ra released a sharp breath, but the surprise turned to admiration and a margin of relief. He was never more proud of his child than he was at this moment.

"No?" Ra repeated softly. "Tell me why."

"It is not my right to choose for this entire world-this beautiful, precious world that you and your brothers created." Yuugi turned away from the ruined city to stare into Ra's eyes. "I have no right to decide for them. I am not a God. I am just Yuugi, a friend, a son, a grandson and a seer. I believe that we all should have the right to decide whether we live or die. No one should take away that choice. Not me, not you, Zorc, or Leviathan. Our creators you may be, but wasn't it you who gave us magic? Wasn't it you and your brothers who set us on this path? Gave us the choice to do what we will with this world?"

"Indeed we did."

"So, allow us to continue to have that choice." Yuugi bowed his head. "This world is constantly ravaged by war, chaos, death, and despair, but aren't all worlds? However, it is through these events that we can gain peace, a perspective of what we have and what we can gain. I believe that Eternia's future is not yet done and I want you to believe that as well, my lord."

"You truly believe this?" Ra asked with a skeptic look. "You truly believe that Eternia and her children can stand on their own two feet?"

"Yes." Yuugi replied firmly, withstanding the God's scrutiny. "We have before and we will again."

"I am remembered for my part in the war centuries old and yet, I believe that I cannot hold a candle to you, Yuugi." Leon murmured. "I, too, once believed in the people, but with time and with the choices people have made, I lost hope, but you haven't, Yuugi. All of the turmoil that you have faced and not once have you lost faith in Eternia or its people. You are truly worthy of the title of Seer."

"That he is, but not the Seer of Elysian, but the Seer of Eternia. You are all that remains of my children on this mortal plain, little one and though you are alone, you stand before me demanding to restore this broken world."

"I ask you as a child of Eternia, a Seer and as your son, my lord. Let us see how much more we people can do."

"Very well." Ra said solemnly. "It is by my and your decreed that I restore Eternia to its rightful balance." Ra smiled and placed a hand on Yuugi's shoulder. "I am proud of you, Yuugi."

"Thank you, but may I ask you one last thing?"

"Of course."

Yuugi bit his lips and lowered his gaze to the broken ground, for he could not bear to see Leon and Ra's expressions as he uttered his next words.

"Will allow me to become the last Seer to grace Eternia?" Yuugi asked, raising his head when his request was met with stun silence. "My Lord-"

"You wish to be the last Seer?" Ra repeated softly. "The last Seer to walk Eternia?"

"Yes," Yuugi confirmed grimly. "I ask you to wipe the Seers from Eternia. After I depart to the Ethereal Realm, let the Seers be no more."

"I don't think I understand." Leon said heavily. "The Seers have always been here, and now you're saying that you want us to be gone? Explain yourself."

"The Seers, our brethren, have always been here to hold the people's hand." Yuugi began cautiously. "We have been a crutch for the people. The Seers are like parents who never release their child's hand to let them wander the world and let them explore the unknown. So you see, without us, this will give them a chance to see the world through a fog."

"They will be scared and helpless." Leon bit out. "Is this what you want?"

"Yes." Yuugi responded. "It is exactly what I want for them. To feel and experience that fear, Leon. I am not doing this out of spite; you must believe me on that venture. If Eternia is to survive, to prosper, then they must see to that prosperity on their own. It is time for the them to grow up and be without the Seer's guidance."

"This is insane." Leon hissed angrily. "You-"

"Are right." Ra finished, resigned. "He is right and you know it, Leon."

"I know, but they are not ready to-"

"This is where the believing part comes into play." Yuugi interrupted softly. "Believe in them as I do and you will see in due time. Sylvantia climbed back to their feet after Zorc's rampage and I think that the rest of Eternia can do the same."

Ra winced at the thought of Sylvantia, but nodded his head. "Indeed they did and stronger than before. It will be a hard journey for them, but I will do ask, little one. You will be the last Seer to grace Eternia for as long as this world remains in existence."

"Thank you, my lord. I cannot imagine how hard it is for you to say those words." Yuugi smiled weakly in the face of Ra's pained glance. "It will be for the best."

"I sincerely hope that you are right, little one." Ra held out his hand for Yuugi to take. "Come, enough talk, it is time to restore the balance of this world." he grasped Yuugi's hand tightly within his own. "I want you to close your eyes and take a deep breath."

Yuugi did as instructed and instantly, his body felt weak and his mind slowly became numb and a brief flash of panic overcame him. What was happening?

"Hush now." Leon soothed. "When you wake up everything will be fine."

"Sleep now, my child." Ra's soothing rumble came over the rushing of blood in his ears. "And remember, I am proud of you."

* * *

><p>"-uugi! Yuugi!"<p>

He was warm and it felt like he was lying on a cloud. He could feel the cool breeze flowing over his face and body. He really did not feel like getting up, but someone was shaking his shoulder gently and yelling his name in his ears.

"Yuugi! Young One? You have to wake up, **now."**

Yuugi tensed at the familiar baritone voice, but it was the nickname that caused him to snap his eyes open and sit up on the bed and bump his forehead against a golden-winged crown.

"Ouch!" Yuugi's hands flew up to his forehead and rubbed the skin, peaking behind one hand to see a pair of relieved crimson eyes staring into his own.

"A-Atemu?" Yuugi lowered his hand and looked around. He was in Atemu's bedchambers and not a thing was out-of-place. It looked like nothing before. The floor had returned to the shining marble and the furniture was worn, but repaired-including the bed he was laying on.

"Young One." Atemu whispered softly before taking Yuugi into his arms and embracing him tightly. "_Yuugi."_

Yuugi slowly wrapped his arms around Atemu's neck and let his tears run down his cheeks without shame. "Atemu, _Atemu, _you're here, you're really, really here." he closed his eyes and sent a small prayer to Ra and smiled at the thought. "I'm glad you're okay, Atemu. I'm glad you're here with me again."

"As am I, Yuugi." Atemu released the Seer and stared into his eyes. "As a matter of fact, all of Eternia is happy to see you again."

"What?"

"We-" Atemu did not get a chance to finish his sentence before the double doors burst open and Jounouchi rushed in with an excited Fenrir on his heels. Seto, Ryou and Bakura trailed in at a calmer pace.

"Yuugi! My little buddy!" Jounouchi cried out, excited, jumping on the bed and making the two occupants bounce. "You were awesome!"

"What?" Yuugi blinked in confusion. "What are you talking about, Jou-" he felt a burst of air leave his body as Fenrir bounced on him in a flurry of licks. "Fenrir! It's good to see you again, but can you let me breathe!"

"We saw what you said and did as Ra was regenerating Eternia." Seto explained as everyone settled down. "He made sure we saw what you did and as a result, the entire world wants to see you."

"The entire world?"

"That's right." Ryou continued. "People from villages and cities worldwide have been seen travelling this way and it's been giving the border patrols a difficult time."

"But, what about the war?"

"We were so confused when we woke up that the war almost started up again, but thanks to Bakura's and Timaeus' quick thinking, we managed to avoid that." Atemu explained, sending a grateful glance the Colonel's way. "We're in the process of recovering."

"What about Sylvantia and Atlantis?"

"Sylvantia has closed its borders to mourn for King Crawford and Atlantis has done the same to mourn for King Dartz. Both nations are in turmoil and have refused our help."

"What's going to happen to them?" Yuugi asked, worrying his bottom lip. He wanted peace between all their lands, and closing themselves off was not going to help.

"I will be leaving for Sylvantia." Bakura announced. "Seto and Mai will be going to Atlantis to negotiate the terms of the peace treaty. It is time to put this war behind and work for peace."

"Besides all of that mess, everything was restored to its proper place." Jounouchi grinned, but Yuugi could tell that it was fake; his friend was trying too hard.

"Grandfather." Yuugi smiled sadly, as Jounouchi turned away. "He chose not to come back, didn't he?"

"I'm sorry, buddy." Jounouchi patted his hand. "He thought it would be best if he stayed behind. Said his time was over, but don't get all sad and think that you don't have any family left, yeah? You still have me, and Anzu, Atemu, Seto, Bakura, and Ryou."

"Damn straight." Bakura grumbled. "I don't want to see you shed one damn tear, you got me? You can sleep your ass off, but you can't cry."

"He just says that because he's going to cry." Ryou whispered theatrically, causing the room to erupt in laughter, and through it, Atemu reached over and grasped his hand tightly as if telling him that everything was going to be all right.

Yuugi smiled through his blurred vision and returned the gesture. Everything was going to be all right.

He would make sure of it.

* * *

><p>AN : Thanks for reading! Epilogue is next!


	39. Chapter 39

Valkyria: We're here, the last chapter of Emperor's Prophecy! Like I stated in the last chapter, thanks for sticking with me through this monster of a story. I really appreciate it. Well, here's the epilogue, the conclusion of Emperor's Prophecy. The last two chapter are unbeta'd, but everyone thank **Moony** for making this story into the awesome thing it is!

Disclaimer: I claim no rights to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh!

* * *

><p><strong>"Peace comes from being able to contribute the best that we have, and all that we are, toward creating a world that supports everyone. But it is also securing the space for others to contribute the best that they have and all that they are." -Hafsat Abiola<strong>

**Chapter Thirty-Nine: Conclusion.**

"I can hardly believe that the war is over." Jounouchi yawned, stretching his arms before letting them fall gently back to his side. "It seemed like a lifetime ago, you know?"

"Three weeks to be exact." Yuugi murmured, allowing his pen to gently fall from his fingers. He would not be getting any more entries done for the day with Jounouchi, not that he minded the blond's presence of course. "And yes, it does seem like a lifetime ago."

"I'm still adjusting." Jounouchi admitted, closing his eyes and enjoy the breeze that had suddenly come over them. "I-I still have nightmares, you know?"

"You still haven't told Seto about them?" Yuugi questioned cautiously. As the weeks passed by, Jounouchi confided in him the horrors he experienced during the war, of all the lives he took, the feeling of fear that overcame him when Zorc unleashed his devastating spell and the remorse, guilt and sadness he felt during his brief stay in the Ethereal Realm. It horrified, saddened, and angered him to the point where he did nothing but break down and cry. He should have been there for Jounouchi, his best friend, in some shape.

"No, I haven't had the heart to tell him." Jounouchi turned his gaze away from the half-finished Divine Tower, thanks to Yuugi, the tower which had been torn down by Aldan all those years ago was being rebuilt and created as a memorial for all the Seers who had unjustly lost their lives and the ones who gave them up willingly.

"I'm sure he'll understand if you just tell him what's bothering you." Yuugi pressed, sending his friend a worried glance. "I'm worried about you, Jounouchi. I really am."

"I know you are, buddy, but I can't tell Seto about my nightmares, especially since he's still dealing with Noah. You know that they had to exile him for Atemu's attempted assassination and even despite the fact that he was possessed that still didn't pardon him enough."

Yuugi flinched at the harsh reminder. Noah had woken from his crystal sleep and given his memories back by Atemu's personal sealing mages. He had been there when Noah had broken down at the horrors his memories brought. Regardless of the devastation the war brought, the people nor the council had not forgotten about Atemu's attempted assassination and it was with regret in the council's heart that they exiled Noah from Elysian's lands not only for his safety but for Atemu's reputation. What would the people think if their Emperor went easy on someone who tried to kill him? Add to the fact that Noah's life would be in danger should anyone find out that he was one who did it.

"Nonetheless, I think you should tell him when the opportunity arises." Yuugi picked at the edge of his blank journal page. "Are you even sleeping?"

"Yeah, I get a few hours in." Jounouchi sighed. "But, it's not enough to get me through the day and Colonel Hawkeye is going to get on my ass if I don't start shaping up soon. He's starting to notice my slip-ups."

"I'm still surprised you joined the Spell-Sword Corp instead of going back home." Yuugi stated. "Is your Dad alright with you not inheriting the weapons shop?"

"Yeah," Jounouchi waved his concern away with a grin. "He's cool about it. In fact, he won't stop bragging to the other shop owners' about." he lowered his voice. "My boy joined the Spell-Sword Corp! Hah! Beat that you jackasses!"

Yuugi quickly bit his lip to stifle his laughter, Jounouchi's father was always a gruff man and it amused him to no end when Jounouchi imitated him. "And Shizuka and your mother? I trust they're doing okay?"

"Oh yeah, they're doing fine." Jounouchi replied, a fond smile pulling at his lips. "Shizuka was angry that I joined, but she's proud of me." he puffed out his chest. "I can tell." a sudden frown came to Jounouchi's face. "Yuugi? What are you going to do about your shop? Are you going to sell it?"

"No, Anzu's is going to be taking over for me until I find someone more experienced to run it." Yuugi murmured. "I don't have the heart to sell it. Grandpa loved that shop and it really is the only thing I have left of him."

"Right," Jounouchi bit his lips. "I didn't mean-I'm sorry, Yuugi, I just still can't believe he's gone."

Closing his eyes, Yuugi held back his tears. "It's alright, Jounouchi, really." he still could not believe it, he was still grieving and he honestly did not think he was going to stop grieving about his grandfather's passing. Sure, he knew it was going to stop hurting one day, but he did not see that day coming for a while.

Yuugi opened his eyes when he heard the scrapping of the chair; he smiled when Jounouchi sat next to him and ruffled his hair. He watched, amused as his friend flipped through his papers on the table.

"I still don't know why you keep up with General Timaeus." Jounouchi waved a letter with the Atlantian seal plastered on the top. "I mean, he did try to court you and steal you away from us."

"Yes, I know," Yuugi snatched the letter away and folded it back up. "And he apologized for that. I like to think we are very good friends now. You got to be pretty good friends with Hermos over his visits, didn't you?"

"That's just because he's a Spell-Sword, a very good one- a damn good one." Jounouchi stumbled. "So what if we're friends?"

"It's a good thing." Yuugi chuckled. "It really shows that Elysian's and Atlantian's can get along now." In fact, it was a very good thing that he was friends with Timaeus, Jounouchi had a growing friendship with Hermos, and surprisingly enough, Seto had grown to like Critias only because they were both dragon mages, even having many political discussions in the dragon language.

The relationship between Elysian and Atlantis was still fragile, but thanks Queen Christina, it was growing every day. He just wished it were same for Sylvantia. Who, with much regret, had sealed themselves off by Queen Crawford's decreed. Only Bakura knew what was happening in the country, but the Colonel was keeping his mouth shut about the situation not even telling a recovering and thankfully awake General Aegnor and newly dubbed Master Healer, Ryou.

"Didn't they say they were coming back soon?" Jounouchi leaned back against the chair, a sly grin pulling at his lips. "For the wedding, right?"

"Right," Yuugi confirmed, blushing a deep red at the sight of his friend's leer. "For the wedding."

"Which is happening next week?" Jounouchi crossed his arms, looking up into the clear sky. "How do you feel about that, Emperor Motou-Faenor? Or Empress?"

Narrowing his eyes, Yuugi placed his foot to one of the legs of Jounouchi's chair and pushed, knocking his friend over. "That's how I feel about it, you ass."

Cursing, Jounouchi rose from the floor, placing his arms on the table. "C'mon! Do not be such a sourpuss, I was only kidding! You're going to make an awesome Emperor."

"That's what Atemu keeps telling me, but I know only know he's only trying to make me feel better. Our political situation with Atlantis is still fragile and it's non-existent, and let's not forget the trade routes we have with each Kingdom which are only starting to open and-"

"Yuugi."

"I really don't want to screw it up and we have that treaty signing shortly after the wedding and I'm really worried about Sylvantia and Bakura is keeping his mouth shut which is not helping at all! What kind of soldier doesn't tell us anything? Should I order him to? I'm still not used to that yet."

"Yuugi!"

"Huh? What?"

"Shut up." Jounouchi grumbled. "Do you really think you're not going to make a good ruler? Do you realize how concerned you sound? Anyone could tell that you are concerned for the people and you have not been officially crowned as co-ruler yet. In the three weeks alone, you have reestablished contact with Atlantis via letters to Timaeus who convinced Queen Christina to stop feeling so guilty about her father's actions and come visit Elysian. Don't you get it, Yuugi? It was you that brought Elysian and Atlantis together not Atemu. It was you who was there at Queen Christina's coronation regardless of the fact that it was still too dangerous to go out let alone venture to another continent."

"Oh,"

"Yes, oh," Jounouchi rolled his eyes, rising from his knees and dusting off his training clothing. "You're going to be just fine. Trust me."

"I hope so, Jounouchi, I really hope so."

* * *

><p>One of the many benefits of becoming royalty was the ability to lie around and do absolutely nothing while other people did it for you. However, Yuugi was never particularly lazy which led to many disagreements. One particular disagreement came when he was talking to tailor about the clothing and jewelry for the wedding.<p>

"No," Yuugi shook his head, staring at the bolts of silks in front of him. "I'm not wearing gold."

The tailor, who went by the name of Alyssa, hissed, almost ripping the silk in the process. "My lord, why not? Gold is perfect for your skin. It brings it out."

"I believe that's your opinion, Alyssa." Yuugi grinned tightly, laying a hand on the dark navy silk bolts. "I believe this one and..." he laid a hand on the red bolt "this one-"

Alyssa cut him off by screeching in what Yuugi could describe as horror. He watched, with panic, as Alyssa dropped the ground in tears. Really? Was there a need for such a display?

"It's not really that bad." Yuugi deadpanned. "What's wrong with navy and red?"

"What's wrong? What's wrong?" Alyssa shot up, grabbing the gold silk bolt and securing it to her chest. "You want to hear navy blue and red to your wedding! Those colors do nothing for your skin or eyes or your little figure."

Yuugi ignored the comment about his "figure." and pressed on; his crying tailor, who he was friends with, surprisingly enough, would not sway him. "I'm keeping the navy and-" he winced when Alyssa screeched again. "Alright! Alright! You can pick the colors-But, it can't be gold, brown, or yellow."

Pouting, Alyssa put away the bolts she had which were all the colors described, and pulled a bolt of green, white and light blue. "Have you picked your royal colors yet? His Majesty's is purple and black; he's wearing red and white to the ceremony though."

"No, I haven't picked them yet; I figured I would just share Atemu's." Yuugi frowned, confused, he did not realize that they had to have different royal colors.

"Oh, no," Alyssa shook her head. "You have to pick your own. Her Majesty, Empress Faenor's colors were pink and white, she had a different insignia for her magic as well. His Majesty hasn't told you?"

"He's been so busy lately," Yuugi murmured. He had not seen hide or hair of Atemu these days; the older male was constantly travelling to the different villages and cities appointing new leaders. He saw the man every three days if he was lucky.

"Well don't you worry, Yuugi," Alyssa placed the bolts of blue, white and green on the ground. "We'll get you fixed up with an insignia and colors in no time."

"Thanks, Alyssa," Yuugi smiled softly as he watched the tailor pick around. "I really appreciate it."

xxxx

Three hours later, Yuugi found himself wanting to take back his thank you; he had never tried on so many clothes and jewelry in his life. The horrible part about it was that it had taken twenty minutes to even put on one outfit! It was ridiculous.

"Okay," Alyssa held up an outfit that showed off his shoulders and stomach. "Let's-"

"No." Yuugi grunted, slowly moving around and almost tripping over the trail of cloth. "No more clothes."

"But-"

"No. I said, no."

Alyssa deflated and pouted, letting the outfit trickle to the floor. "You're not even trying..."

"I am too, trying," Yuugi held up his arms, letting the sleeves cover his hands. "Look at this! I'm about to drown in this, let's not forget that I can pass out because this damn thing is suffocating."

"You look great!" Alyssa poked his partially naked stomach, earning a squeak. "I just have to make some adjustments once you choose one..."

"If I choose one, can I go now?" Yuugi gathered up the robes in his hands. "You adjusted it any way you want as long I can get out of here."

"Go ahead," Alyssa responded, a wicked gleam to her eyes. "But, remember what you said."

"Stop being scary," Yuugi waved a hand to the blue and white outfit lying on the stool. "That one over there will just be fine." turning to the door, he waved a hand at Alyssa. "I'll see you later."

"See you-oh, your colors! What are they?"

"I haven't decided, I'll tell you later."

"Yuugi-"

Yuugi closed the door shut, cutting the tailor off, shaking his head, he wiped the sweat off his forehead and moved down the hall only to bump into someone, he fell to the ground and got himself tangled in his robes. As he struggled to right himself, he heard a deep chuckle and then strong arms lifting him up. Soon enough, he found himself staring into crimson eyes. Those beautiful eyes he had not seen in days.

"Atemu? Atemu, when did you get back?" Yuugi wrapped his arms around his fiancé's neck. "Welcome back."

"Thank you, little one," Atemu wrapped his arms around Yuugi's trim waist, pulling him closer. "I am happy to see you again. I'm sorry that I have been away for so long." pulling away, Atemu smiled at the clothing Yuugi was draped in. "And I see Alyssa has gotten hold of you."

"Indeed she has," Yuugi grumbled. "But, enough about me, have you had any news from Sylvantia?"

"Yes, but I wish to discuss it in private. Come with me."

* * *

><p>"I have finally received a letter from Queen Crawford." Atemu held up the letter with Sylvantia insignia shining brightly thanks to the lighting in their shared chambers. "It bears good news."<p>

"Oh? I hope you have given her my condolences about King Crawford's passing?"

"Yes, and she replies that she is relieved that we have no desire revenge for all the wrong Pegasus has done during his reign." Atemu set the letter down on the bed between them. "I have invited her to the wedding. If that is alright?"

"It's more than alright. It is wonderful. I would love to have her there." Yuugi grinned into Atemu's relieved eyes. "What? You thought I wouldn't?"

"Honestly, yes, Sylvantia have hidden themselves away and it gave us the impression that they wanted nothing more to do with us." Atemu sighed heavily. "I cannot imagine how Queen Crawford is doing."

"She's doing fine, I'd imagine." Yuugi huffed playfully. "She does have Bakura after all. And by the way, you never told me the promise he had to keep to her."

Atemu's eyes glimmered, full of mischief and mystery. "I'm afraid that you will have to ask him that yourself, little one. Now, I have been away from you for what seems like an eternity and I want to hear what you have been up to." he placed his chin in his hand and stared into Yuugi's eyes. "Talk away."

"There's really nothing." Yuugi blushed at Atemu's intense stare, whenever they managed to find time together; it always ended up like this. "Really,"

"Really?" Atemu echoed. "You haven't been having nervous breakdowns about becoming co-ruler? A certain friend of ours has told me that you haven't been handling it as well as you have told me."

Jounouchi, Yuugi thought with heat, was going to get it the moment he set his eyes on the little snitch.

"I'm fine," Yuugi muttered. "I don't want you to worry about me-"

"I do worry for you, Yuugi." Atemu murmured his eyes serious. "And I want you to tell me what's bothering you. No matter how insignificant you think it is."

"Thank you, Atemu, but I will be fine. I will learn to deal with this as the time passes." Yuugi leaned forward, pressing a kiss to Atemu's forehead, which for once did not bore his crown. "Will you have to leave again, soon?"

"No, I will remain here seeing as the wedding is so close." Atemu replied. "The guest will be arriving soon and we need to get them situated."

"Oh, will the guests from Atlantis are arriving soon?"

"No," Atemu gave him a sly smirk that caused him to blush brightly. "They will be arriving about a day or two after Queen Crawford. You will get to talk to General Timaeus in due time."

"I am happy that you aren't upset about our friendship." Yuugi murmured. "He did try to court me after all."

"And he apologized to me personally when Queen Christina came to visit us." Atemu added. "I have no doubt that Timaeus will find someone who loves and cares for him. Like Hermos and Critias have done for each other."

"And like we have done for each other?" Yuugi questioned softly. "Right?"

Atemu smiled brightly, clasping his hand and squeezing tightly. "Yes, that's right."

* * *

><p>His heart was racing, his palms were sweating and his throat was dry, but despite all of these horrible symptoms, Yuugi was happy that the was finally here. He was happy that his wedding day was finally here. Finally.<p>

Stopping in front of the mirror, he weakly smiled at his reflection and consciously straightened his clothing. Alyssa had done an excellent job with his wedding clothes draping him in colors of light blue and white and even managed to sneak in a golden sash. Clasping his hands behind his chest, Yuugi took a deep breath and calmed his racing heart mentally telling himself that it was going to be okay. Despite the fact that his wedding was going to be in front of thousands of people including the royal families from Sylvantia and Atlantis. Everything was going to be all right, right?

Oh, who in the hell was he kidding? It was not going to be all right. What if he screwed up and said the wrong thing? On the other hand, What if he fell on his way to the small altar?

The door creaked open and Yuugi whirled around and released a silent, shaky breath when it was realized it was Timaeus and Jounouchi, both of them dressed in their respective countries dress blues.

"See?" Jounouchi chuckled, stepping inside. "I told you he's freaking out." he held his hand out to Timaeus, who looked vaguely disappointed. "You owe me about fifty gold pieces."

"He is not freaking out." Timaeus' deep voice echoed throughout the changing room. "So, I don't owe you anything, Jounouchi."

"Cheapskate." Jounouchi muttered under his breath, earning a heated glare from the General. "Yuugi? Are you ready? Lots and I mean lots of people are waiting."

"No-I mean, yes, I'm ready." Yuugi covered his face, wincing when one of his fingers smeared the kohl on his face. "I'm ready."

"We can take a minute if you wish." Timaeus soothed, coming to stand next to him. "It would not be...good if you fainted from being nervous."

"That would suck," Jounouchi whispered loudly. "It really would."

"You are really not helping, Jounouchi." Yuugi growled. "Keep it up and I'll tell Seto that you were on who fed Kisara that spirit fruit and got her drunk."

"Hey!" Jounouchi barked. "I told you I didn't mean to do that! And besides, you promised you wouldn't do that."

"Enough." Timaeus commanded firmly. "This isn't the place nor is it the time to be arguing like children." holding out his arm, he gave Yuugi a tight smile. "Now, come, you have a ceremony to get to."

It turns out Jounouchi really was not lying when he said thousands of people were waiting for him to come out. Once he reached the top of the stairs leading to the altar, Yuugi found himself staring into one of the largest crowds he had ever seen. He smiled when the crowds cheering grew into an almost unbearable level once they set their gazes on him.

Though the crowds were amazing, it was not the most magnificent thing he had laid eyes on. No, that title went to Atemu who was looked amazing draped in robes consisting of black and a deep red that perfectly matched his eyes. Yuugi's breath left his body when Atemu's eyes met his as he finally stepped in front of the older male.

Grasping Atemu's hands, he blinked when he saw Seto dressed in priestly robes holding a book of Ra in his hands. He turned back to Atemu who was silently chuckling at the look he must have sported.

"Seto has been an ordained High Priest of the Temple of Ra for five years." Atemu murmured over the roaring crowds. "He just never put his skills to use."

"Oh,"

Seto coughed discreetly gaining their attention while he waved a hand at the crowds and like magic, a hush fell over the crowd. Turning back to Atemu and Yuugi, he gave them both an expectant look.

"We're ready," Atemu stated.

Seto nodded, gripping the book tightly in his hands. "We are gathered here today in the name of Ra to wed these two souls together in mind, body and spirit. As I, a high priest and Representative of the Holy God Ra, reads these words I ask that you both repeat after me." he turned to Atemu. "I, Atemu Faenor, Emperor of Elysian, son of Emperor of Akamkanon and Empress Rehema, take Yuugi Motou, Seer of Elysian, to be my lawfully wedded husband until his soul departs from this land."

"I, Atemu Faenor, Emperor of Elysian and son of Emperor Akamkanon and Empress Rehema, take Yuugi Motou, Seer of Elysian, to be my lawfully wedded husband until his soul departs from this land."

Seto turned to Yuugi. "Repeat after me, I, Yuugi Motou, grandson of Sugoroku Motou and Seer of Elysian, take Atemu Faenor, Emperor of Elysian and son of Emperor Aknmankanon and Empress Rehema to be my lawfully wedded husband until my soul departs from this land."

Gripping Atemu's hands tighter. "I, Yuugi Motou, grandson of Sugoroku Motou and Seer of Elysian, take Atemu Faenor, Emperor of Elysian and son of Emperor Akamkanon and Empress Rehema, to be my lawfully wedded husband until my soul departs from this land."

Nodding in approval, Seto turned to Mai, who looked like she was on the verge of crying. "The crowns, Lady Kujaku,"

Mai stepped forward with Atemu's crown, placing it on his head with a small smile before standing before Yuugi and placing the newly made crown on his head, leaning down she smiled into his eyes.

"I'm proud of you."

Seto stepped forward, smiling at the sight of married couple. "In the name of Ra, I hereby pronounce you husband and husband from this time forth. May the blessing of Ra light your path for all of eternity."

Yuugi squeaked when Atemu leaned forward and pressed his lips on his, he felt the heat rushing to his face when he heard the laughter and the roaring of the crowds once again. Before he could return the kiss, Atemu pulled back and kissed him on his burning cheek.

"I love you, Yuugi Motou-Faenor."

Eyes burning, Yuugi leaned his head on Atemu's chest. "And I love you, Atemu Faenor."

With a bright smile on his face, Seto turned back to crowds who at this point were literally jumping and waving their arms.

"People of Elysian, Atlantis and Sylvantia! It is my honor to introduce to you Emperor Atemu and Emperor Yuugi Motou-Faenor! The rulers of Elysian, may their reign be long and prosperous!"

* * *

><p><em>The reign of Emperor Atemu Faenor and Emperor Yuugi Motou-Faenor also known as the "Reign of Light and Prosperity." lasted one-hundred and thirty-two years until Yuugi Faenor's death at the age of hundred and twenty-five and it is with his passing that brought the end of the "Age of the Seers." and bringing in the "Age of Independence." Throughout their lives, both Yuugi and Atemu straightened the ties of Atlantis, Sylvantia and Elysian ushering in a Golden Age and advancement in technology. From the creation of airships to the manufactured Sky city of Avalon.<em>

_Seer Motou's close friend and confidant Jounouchi Katsuya, the legendary commander of the Sky Forces of Elysian and the mate of Seto Kaiba passed at the age of one-hundred and fifty-six._

_Ryou Lindel, master healer of the Imperial Palace and a close confidant of Seer Motou, became known as the creator of healing glyphs thus saving thousands lives in the process. He is one of the many healers to surpass the legendary Ishizu Ishtar._

_Seto Kaiba, cousin and cousin-in-law to Atemu and Yuugi, became known as the "Encrypter." one of the most-well known scholars and unlocked the temples of summoning throughout Elysian. Passing at the age of one-hundred and fifty-seven._

_General Bakura Firimar, whose original home lain in the glorious lands of Elysian, became the commander of the Sylvantia Army and thus further straightening the ties between the two lands. Passing at the amazing age of two-hundred and twenty. He is known as the last shape-shifter._

_Marik Aegnor, former General of the Elysian imperial Army and Malik Ishtar, his assistant, became the Archduke of Haven City thus creating the last city-state who became independent of Elysian. He is the founder of the legendary ore, Azurdite, thus one of the many founders and creators of airships and their engines._

_Atemu Faenor, Emperor of Elysian who became to be known as the "Emperor of Shadow and Light." lived a long and peaceful life, keeping his land intact and quietly expanding. Records lost, nothing remains of Atemu Faenor except the date of his death and the name of his heir Mokuba Kaiba._

_Yuugi Feanor, Second Emperor of Elysian and remaining Seer on Eternia, became known as the "Emperor of Time and Light." and being the first to gain another two abilities at the age of thirty-two. As his life progressed, he kept a journal that is now in the divine tower and only read by the descendants of Emperor Kaiba and Empress Rebecca Kaiba._

_This journal is guarded by the wolf known only as "Fenrir." it is through him that we know the last words of the Seer who initiated what is known as "Ra's Revival."_

**_"These words that are before your eyes will be the last words of the Seer, a peaceful folk who regretfully brought death, destruction and despair to those around them. The lands of Elysian, Sylvantia and Atlantis shall remain prosperous, and the "Age of Magic and Technology." will come to the lands in eight hundred years' time. It is with a light heart that I see no war in the coming centuries, but, my heirs, my descendant, remain steadfast and vigilant for Ra is always watching and so am I."_**

**_- Last words of Yuugi Motou, Seer of Elysian._**

It is these words that became to be known as the Emperor's Prophecy, a prophecy of hope, light and life.

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><p>AN: Thanks for reading, put in your reviews if you want another chapter of cut out scenes!


	40. Chapter 40

Valkyria: I decided to add another chapter to Emperor's Prophecy. A behind the scenes chapter or another epilogue, whichever you want to call it is fine with me.

Disclaimer: I claim no rights to Yu-gi-oh!

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><p>"<em>Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present."<em>

_-Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, Meditations._

**Chapter Forty - Bright Days - Second Epilogue**

If Yuugi were to be honest with himself, then he would gladly admit that marriage was easier than co-ruling over an empire that was steadily expanding. So far, two wonderful years passed by with a snap of the fingers and by its side did two arduous years of ruling beside Atemu one of which was learning the ways of politics and negotiating along with dealing with the upper echelons of Elysian who were nothing but a bunch of arrogant bastards- Jounouchi's words not his own.

There were times where he grew lonely without Atemu's company. His husband had taken to travelling between Atlantis and Sylvantia to cement the treaties that were formally signed more than two months ago. He could tell that Atemu was still haunted about the war and so were the other monarchs. He was no fool not to see the darkness in their eyes as they re-signed the treaty after the first year when the meeting was held in Elysian. Queens Christina and Cecelia were still ashamed at their family's actions and no matter what he said, it did nothing to sway their thoughts to a brighter light.

However, he could plainly see the joy in their eyes when they mentioned an Elysian in Atlantis or an Sylvantian in Elysian. It brought them joy to see their people mixing together and even marrying one another. It brought him peace to see their lands growing and connecting becoming strong like a tree's roots underneath the earth.

Yet, there were also times where he saw discontent among his own people. The war was over and a fragile peace had been put in its place and number of people still did not trust Atlantians or Sylvantians and it mattered little that he strolled in the city streets with Queen Cecelia or Christina when they visited Asrai. His people still held hatred for the other countries and he feared the hatred in their hearts would linger and it would spark a civil war. Thus why he grew worried when Atemu journey for days and weeks on end to the outer villages and towns.

He didn't know how much power he had over the people and he didn't want to be in a situation in which he had to use that power. He was a Faenor now, the second Emperor to Elysian and the Seer of Eternia and he wouldn't let the people down.

No matter how little confidence he had with himself.

The creaking of the double doors drew Yuugi out of his dark thoughts and he smiled brightly as Jounouchi stepped through, looking rather dapper in a pair of dress blues consisting of a long black coat trimmed with gold reaching to his knees along with a pair of black trousers and brown boots. His friend had made a name for himself in the ranks of the Spell Sword Corp.

Jounouchi approached the throne Yuugi was sitting on and bowed deeply as his booted feet touched the first stair. "Your Majesty."

"Lieutenant." Yuugi returned formally before burst into a small chuckle and waved a ringed hand. "Stop bowing, Jounouchi. I think you would know better."

"You're one of the rulers of Elysian, Yuugi." Jounouchi rose from his bent position and grinned up at Yuugi. His friend looked handsome dressed in robes of blues and white-his royal colors- and with the winged crown sitting on his forehead, the emerald in the center always shined to perfection. "I have to respect you."

"You have always respected me, Jounouchi." Yuugi protested. "Enough about titles and respect, did you need something?"

"Not at the moment. I just came to check up on you." Jounouchi took a seat on the second stair leading up to the thrones. "Is everything going alright? Mai told me you've been...a little harried."

"Such a polite way to tell me I'm stressed out." Yuugi smiled at Jounouchi's flinch and he quickly sobered. "I am worried about the repercussions of the war, Jou. We are doing well, but the people are unhappy."

"The minority of them are unhappy." Jounouchi corrected. "I've been around the city and most of them are happy to be trading and interacting with the other lands. It's the pure-blooded idiots that's causing the trouble."

"The nobles in the west sector?"

"That's right." Jounouchi replied. "The Lady Vivian Wong to be exact. She's leading a small group of nobles and giving my CO a huge headache."

"Colonel Hawkeye has been rather temperamental as of late." Yuugi murmured, struggling not to smile. Dante Hawkeye was a rough looking man who held honor and justice above all else, but he wasn't a by the book type of soldier which worked just fine for Jounouchi. The two of them got along like a peas in a pod.

"I will hold a meeting with Vivian and Hawkeye and make them come to terms with an agreement." Yuugi's own head throbbed at the thought. Vivian Wong was a stubborn woman and Atemu avoided the woman at all costs.

"Have you heard from Atemu?" Jounouchi asked, breaking his trail of thoughts. "It's been about one week hasn't it?"

"The last missive I received said he was in Haven City with Marik."

"Oh!" Jounouchi snapped his fingers. "General Aegnor discovered something in the mines near Haven City. Colonel Hawkeye said it was pretty interesting."

Yuugi furrowed his brow as he remembered the small missive he received from Atemu. It didn't mention anything about Marik discovering something in the mines.

"What was it? Some type of mineral?"

Jounouchi shrugged. "Didn't get much out Dante about it. He just said it was pretty interesting, I couldn't much more than that out of him. Though, I can see why they're being so secretive about the mess."

"Or Marik is being secretive." Yuugi retorted. "He doesn't like the Atlantians or the Sylvantians, but with good reason."

Jounouchi winced. "He still hasn't forgiven Timaeus for killing Rishid at the start of the war and well, he doesn't have much love for you, buddy. He's loyal toward you, but not much love."

"I can imagine what he says about me while I'm not around." Yuugi placed his hand against his face and closed his eyes. His monthly meetings with Marik were always tense, but thankfully, Atemu always served as a buffer.

"Eh, Marik isn't the lovey-dovey type." Jounouchi tried to reassure. "The fact that he has a breathing problem doesn't help either. Dartz essentially ruined his military career."

"Queen Christina personally apologized to him during my official coronation." Yuugi stated. "Anyone would have to be blind to see that he accepted formally, but personally? No way in hell."

"That was really awkward." Jounouchi grumbled. "You should have seen how pissed Seto was at Marik's behavior, but I think Her Majesty understood why Marik didn't accept the apology. I mean, how could he at that point?"

"Yes, it's understandable, but I hope that he and I can get along one day. By the way, Bakura sends his regards from Sylvantia and he wants you to head to Valencia City once you've settled in your new position."

"Ugh," Jounouchi palmed his face and slumped against the velvet carpeted stair. "Sylvantia is so damn _cold._ I don't see how Bakura could stand staying there half the year."

"Ryou likes it and he probably wants you to be his escort. You know how protective Bakura is of Ryou."

"You know, I'm kind of surprised those two haven't gotten together yet." Jounouchi peered at Yuugi from underneath his bangs. "Bakura won't hesitate to rip someone's throat out."

"They're very good friends." Yuugi held out his hands in a parallel position. "You could say they're at a place between friends and lovers."

"Friends with Benefits?"

"No, Jounouchi, not friends with benefits." Yuugi deadpanned. "Don't let Bakura catching you saying such a thing."

"I won't. I have another message for you." Jounouchi dug into the pocket of his trousers and tossed the square piece of paper in Yuugi's lap. "I think it's from Mai."

"Mai?" Yuugi unfolded the paper and sighed when it was from Atemu instead of Mai. In it, Atemu told him of his love for him and that he would be back soon and he had a surprise.

"Anything good?"

"Atemu is going to be home soon and with a surprise." Yuugi re-folded the paper and put in one the pocket of his robe. "I wonder what it could be?"

"Maybe it's about that mineral Marik found?" Jounouchi guessed, rising from his seat and dusting off his trousers. "Whatever it is, make sure you pass it along to me, yeah?"

"If Atemu wants me to say something then I will, but otherwise..."

"You won't," Jounouchi finished. "What happened to us telling each other everything?"

"Tell each other everything? What happened to telling me about your training? You still haven't told me that."

"You're the Emperor of Elysian, you could find out on your own." Jounouchi drawled sarcastically. "My files are public within the upper echelons."

"I want you to tell me because you are my friend." Yuugi confessed. "Was it truly that horrible?"

Jounouchi scratched his arm and frowned. "It wasn't horrible. It's just something I'm not too prone to talk about. I'll tell you someday, buddy, when I'm ready."

Yuugi stared down at his friend, his mind whirling at the prospect of hearing such a story. Sure, he could look up Jounouchi's training regimen, but seeing how reluctant his friend wanted to talk about it, it would seem as if he was prying into personal matters. And that was the last thing he wanted to do to his friend.

"Tell me, nothing untoward happened to you during your training?" Yuugi asked, closely watching friend's reaction to his question. "Jounouchi?"

"Ah, it was nothing like that, Yuugi." Jounouchi reassured, stepping off the stairs. "I promise. Anyway, I have to get back to patrols now. I'll see you at dinner?"

"Yes, of course, see you then."

Yuugi watched Jounouchi leave the throne room, his steps even and his heels clicking against the marble floors. He rose from the throne and followed his friend out of the room. He needed some air-

"Your Majesty." Seto called out from behind causing Yuugi to turn and face his cousin-in-law. "Good afternoon."

"Good afternoon, Seto." Yuugi returned. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"I have something to ask of you, Your Majesty." Seto held out his arm and guided him down the thankfully empty halls. "It has been two years and I wanted to formally request Noah's return."

Yuugi stopped them and tightened his grip on Seto's strong arm. "Noah's return?"

"Yes." Seto avoided his gaze and pushed them along. "His punishment was fair considering the circumstances, but I feel like it is time for him to come home. He has no family other than Mokuba and me."

"Seto, I...will see what I can do." Yuugi said. "Though, you can bring this up to vote with the Val'ista Council, yes?"

"I wanted you to be on my side before I initiated a vote with the council." Seto confessed. "I just want him to be home with me and Mokuba."

"I understand what Noah means to you, but it will be difficult to convince Mai and the others to bring Noah home." Yuugi explained. "I will do all that I can for you, Seto. We are family after all."

"I thank you, Yuugi." Seto looked around the halls. "May I escort you somewhere?"

"Thank you, but no, I'll walk around before returning to my chambers." Yuugi nodded his head in thanks "How are things with Jounouchi?" Yuugi asked gently, watching as Seto's shoulders tensed at the mention of his lover. Well, that was certainly interesting.

"Things are going fine between us, Your Majesty." Seto replied. "We have been both busy as of late. He with his duties with the Spell Swords and I with my duties as council leader and my research."

"I see, and your relationship? It's going well?"

"Very. If you'll excuse me, Your Majesty?" Seto bowed stifly before quickly retreating down the hall, his steps loud and hurried. The obvious escape earned Yuugi's ire, but he stifled it down and walked down the hall toward his own chambers. It was ironic how much trouble he got into when his husband was away. It seemed that Atemu left trouble behind, like some kind of arduous test.

If that was the case then he would freeze Atemu with his magic when he returned to the palace. It was the least he could do for his dear husband.

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><p>Atemu returned to the palace four days later on horseback and a beaming grin on his face. The Emperor looked tired and worn from the journey, but that did nothing to stop him from rushing to his chambers and waking Yuugi up from his nap.<p>

"You look eager." Yuugi stated, pulling his husband into an embrace. "Are you horny?"

Atemu looked scandalized, but amused at Yuugi's choice of words. "Nay, Young One, I'm not horny as you delicately put it. I am, however, excited at the news I have to tell you." he pulled Yuugi out of the blankets and onto the balcony. There, sitting on the small table was something wrapped up tightly in a white cloth.

"What is it?"

"Open it."

Warily, Yuugi reached over and unwrapped the cloth, revealing a glowing blue stone and instantly, Yuugi felt a strong magic coming from it. He wrapped the stone and faced his husband, a question on his lips.

"Is this what Marik found in the mines?" Yuugi asked, gaining a surprised look from Atemu. "Never you mind how I found that out. Well? Is it?"

"Yes, this mineral is very strong and Marik thinks he can use the energy from the stones in a number of ways, but he has a desire to do something extraordinary."

"And that would be?"

"To create airships." Atemu breathed, his crimson eyes glowing with excitement. "Just think of it, little one. This stone can give us the capabilities to take to the skies."

"To do what?"

"Anything." Atemu sat Yuugi down and laced their fingers together. "We can take to the skies and create another nation."

"Atemu, I think you should slow down a little." Yuugi cautioned. "If I know Marik then I think he's solely concentrating on creating airships first and foremost."

"You're right, Young One. It's just that this prospect is very exciting." Atemu pulled away and grabbed the stone. "This could mean prosperity for Elysian."

"You mean prosperity for us all." Yuugi corrected gently. "Atlantis and Sylvantia could prosper from this as well, Atemu." Yuugi narrowed his eyes at how quiet his husband had become. "You disagree?"

"At the moment, yes." Atemu replied. "We can let this secret progress outward the more we know about it."

"You mean give our allies the left overs of our fruits?" Yuugi asked, pressing on when Atemu opened his mouth to respond. "I think you have a little magic fever going on, sweetheart."

"I am only thinking what is best for our country." Atemu rose from the seat and walked to the balcony railing, placing his hands against the polished metal. "The thought of airships could launch us into another age which is what we need at the moment. I know you are not blind to the tension between us and Atlantis and Sylvantia?"

"Yes, I do, but it has only been two years since the war's conclusion." Yuugi protested. "It takes time for us to recover and to trust each other again, and this secrecy isn't going to help us at all."

"I understand that, however, what good will us telling them about this do if we know little about this ourselves?"

Yuugi bit his lips at the logic in Atemu's argument, but was keeping this a secret really okay? Their relationship with Atlantis and Sylvantia was on a stable, yet, fragile ground and he didn't want to risk it.

"Yuugi?"

"Alright." Yuugi agreed cautiously. "We will see how far this venture take us, but promise me something?"

"Anything."

"You will console me on every move you make, I don't care if Marik disagrees. I want to be involved in this venture, promise?"

"Promise."


	41. Chapter 41

Valkyria: I _know _I said that this story was complete and it is! However, I know that a few reviewers probably wanted to see how Atlantis was doing after the war and well, here we are. Enjoy the story!

Disclaimer: I claim no rights to the anime/manga Yu-gi-oh!

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><p><em>"The reward of one duty is the power to fulfill another."<em>

_-George Eliot_

Chapter Forty-One: A Weary Queen

"What's her name?" the question was teasing and would have been full of mockery if he hadn't noticed the sincerity in Hermos' eyes as he asked the question, but Timeaus never really knew the difference when Hermos was concerned.

"_Fragarach_." Timaeus murmured smiling when the blade shined underneath the sunlight of the gardens. "It was a present from my unit."

"Ah, yes, it _is _your birthday." Hermos sent him sly smile from underneath his red helm. "I had forgotten-briefly, of course- that it was your birthday today. How old are you, my friend? Twenty-eight? Thirty? _Forty?" _

"I'm twenty-nine and you know it you dreadful child." it was Timaeus' turn to smile when Hermos' lips pulled into a frown. It was entertaining to see Hermos react to be called a child even though he was twenty-six and currently becoming more looked up upon as a leader and a knight of Atlantis. Secretly, Timaeus purred with pride and joy at seeing Hermos grow since the end of the war. Their youngest had become stronger, wiser and more _careful _with his words with his superiors and his own unit.

However, while things were going good with his professional life he wish he could say the same about Hermos' personal affairs. Timaeus figured that with the end of the war, it would not only give Critias and Hermos the perfect opportunity to get to know each on an intimate level, it would also give Critias a chance to break free of the stone wall he surrounded himself in. It didn't turn out as well as Timaeus thought it would be.

After Ra's Restoration, Atlantis almost turned into a battleground for a second civil war. The people were frightened of the events of Zorc's short return and the truth of Dartz and Leviathan's deaths didn't make the blow easier to endure. The Kingdom was in turmoil and all Timaeus and Hermos could do was patrol the city to ensure riots wouldn't break out and people wouldn't take to the streets.

Critias stayed by the Princess' side through her recovery. She had lost a King, Father, and Friend all in one go. Her faith in the God's were shaken and she was currently not fit to take the throne at the moment. Therefore, she remained as a Princess until she would be ready to take the mantle of the Queen of Atlantis.

Timaeus' loyalty would never waiver and he would stay true to his oath as a Knight and a citizen of Atlantis, but he was starting to doubt Christina's ability to uphold her position. He remembered her boldness and bravery in the time during the war, but now she was nothing but a shadow of her former self. To frightened to stand up to the new council of the heavens. It angered him to see them talk over her as she was nothing but a pawn for them to use and discard.

If this continued then they would have a repeat of the previous council of heavens and civil war would descend upon them again and this time, he knew that they would not win for he was not the only one with doubt clouding his mind about Christina's ability to rule Atlantis. The people doubted her as well and when the people doubted their ruler then it would only be a matter of time before the kingdom crumbled with that doubt. A Kingdom wasn't a Kingdom without the people.

"You have your thinking face on again." Hermos murmured giving him a solemn look. "I didn't upset you that much did I?"

"No." Timaeus responded. "I was just thinking of Her Highness."

Hermos' lips thinned at the thought of Christina. "It _should _be Her _Majesty _instead of _Highness_, but our Princess refuses to take that step forward. It frustrated me that the wonderful woman we knew is gone."

"She's not-"

"I know." Hermos raised a hand to stop Timaeus protest. "She's still _Christina_, but she's not Princess Christina, the bad ass woman who was determined to de-throne her Father to save her people."

"Her Highness is still the same woman, but you must understand that her Faith has been shaken, almost beyond repair. The war has ended and peace has been restored, but there are wounds of the mind that must be attended to as well, my friend."

Hermos' full lips thinned at Timaeus' words. "You are right, but how long must we wait for the wounds to heal? Weeks, months, years, decades? I worry that Atlantis will never have the Queen she deserves."

"Atlantis will have the Queen she deserves in due time, Hermos." Timaeus clasped Hermos' hand in his own and squeezed it tightly. "All will be well, my friend."

Hermos huffed, but returned the squeeze nonetheless. "You always know how to make me feel better, Timaeus."

"Of course, my friend, what are friends for?"

Hermos' hazel eyes narrowed and he stared into Timaeus' lone gray eye with apprehension. "May I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Are you still in love with Yuugi?"

Timaeus blinked and let out a startled chuckle which quickly faded once he realized how serious the question was and how sincere and desperate Hermos seemed all of a sudden.

"My thoughts drift to him frequently, but the love I felt for the little one was forced and without base." Timaeus grimaced at his own words. "I think of him as a friend now for he is going to be married to the Emperor of Elysian soon. Why do you ask?"

"I-I think Critias is falling out of love with me." Hermos flushed and turned away from the surprised look Timaeus gave him for his confession. "I have not seen hide nor hair of him since we have returned home."

"Critias is a Dragon Mage and is of noble descent." Timaeus began gently. "He is needed within Christina's Court. He still yearns for you just as you yearn for him."

"But-"

"No buts." Timaeus chided gently. "Critias loves you with all he has and would not trade that love for the world. I understand your worry, Hermos, but lay your worries to rest for he is merely busy. I could pull him away from his duties if you wish?"

"And get yelled out for being needy?" Hermos shook his head and smiled sadly. "No, but thank you." Hermos rose to his feet and patted Timaeus on the shoulder. "Don't work too hard. It's your birthday."

"Do not think too hard about something that's not true." Timaeus called out to Hermos' back. "Don't forget to report to city duty in a couple of hours!"

"Happy Birthday, Timaeus! I'll get you a gift later."

"A gift to me would be to do your damn job." Timaeus muttered good naturally, frowning at Hermos' worries. Truly, their youngest had nothing to worry about with Critias. The man was smitten with Hermos and always had been. In fact, it kind of made Timaeus jealous of their relationship, but as long as the two of them were happy then so was he.

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><p>Critias was bored.<p>

It didn't happen often since he was interested in diplomatic matters, but Leviathan above, he was dreadfully bored. The newly appointed Council of the Heavens were old coots who were still stuck in their ways and took every opportunity to kick Christina down. Constantly reminding her about King Dartz' rule and how prosperous he made Atlantis and how much Christina had to live up to.

It made Critias want to commit homicide.

He had a feeling that they were the reason that Christina made no move to ascend the throne. Since the end of the war, Christina had become a recluse, her Faith broken and her resolve vanishing into the sea. Her loved her as a friend and a Princess and he hoped that she would live up to her Father's rule and expectations. Before the war and Dartz possession.

"We will conclude this meeting for now."

Critias blinked as the council rose from the cushioned seats and left the room leaving him alone with Christina who was staring out the window with something akin to envy.

"You want freedom." Critias spoke up gently, startling Christina out of her daze. "It has been a while since you have been outside the palace."

"I am fine with not going outside." Christina whispered. "I have many duties to attend."

"Including being Queen?" Critias spoke up gently, watching closely as Christina's slim jaw clenched. "Do you want to become Queen?"

"You know I do-"

"Then why don't you? Are you afraid of the same thing happening to you that happened to your Father?" Critias shook his head. "It was unfortunate with what happened to His Majesty, but he is with the Gods or Ra now and I'm sure he is well taken care of."

"I know, but I wonder if I will be a good Queen?" Christina gave him a worried look. "The Council-"

"Damn the Council of the Heavens and follow your heart, Christina." Critias retorted sharply. "No matter what I shall be with you until the day you send me away. I am loyal to the people and to you. I implore you to ascend the throne with a clear conscious."

"A clear conscious?"

"Yes." Critias murmured. "The people are worried about you, Your Highness. They long for Atlantis to become prosperous again, but we can't move forward without our Queen. She is a strong, courageous woman who stood against all to defend her home. She shall become the Queen of Atlantis and show all of Eternia that we bow to no one."

"To no one?"

"To no one." Critias reaffirmed. "What say you, Christina?"

"I need a little more time, Critias." Christina smiled in the face of Critias thoughtful frown. "Just a little more time."

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><p>Fortunately, Christina's time came in the form of two short weeks before the announcement for the coronation echoed in the palace. The people, excited, sent letters of congratulations, but Christina merely smiled and sent them to Critias, Timeaus and Hermos. Her Knights of the Sea.<p>

Though, what made Critias wonder was what made her change her mind so quickly? He knew his words had some kind of impact, but to have so much didn't seem logical.

He didn't have time to think when he was suddenly staring Hermos in the face and suddenly, Critias longed to lean down and press a kiss to Hermos lips and he intended to do so when Hermos turned his head and coldly informed him of his city patrol.

"What is the matter with you?" Critias asked gently, becoming unnerved as those loving hazel eyes became colder. "I have done something wrong?"

"No."

"Is it because I have not spend enough time with you?" Critias smiled when Hermos flushed with shame. "I apologize, Hermos, but duty called and took up my time, which I wanted to spend with you, but I have time now." Critias held out his arm for Hermos to take. "A walk around the palace?"

"I heard the news about Her Highness." Hermos whispered. "Is she really ascending the throne?"

"It seems like it."

"..."

"Hermos?"

"_Finally." _

_"Hermos." _

"What?" Hermos gave his lover a teasing smile. "You were thinking it too, weren't you?"

"Well, I-"

"You _were." _Hermos chuckled. "There's no shame in giving our Princess a shove in the right direction. Besides, it's not like we won't be there for her, right?"

"Right, of course," Critias looked up and smiled at Timaeus form coming toward them, his armor clinking loudly against the silent air. "Timaeus!"

"Did you hear? Of course you've heard." Timaeus shook his head in amazement. "Our Princess becoming a _Queen. _I cannot believe it. At long last."

"Indeed." Hermos agreed lightly. "You have heard the other news, right?"

Timaeus blinked at the sly tone Hermos adopted. "What other news? What's going on?"

"News of Christina's Ascension has spread throughout all Eternia and especially in Eternia. We have received a letter from Seer Motou."

"Yuugi?" Timaeus whispered reverently. "W-What did it say?"

Hermos and Critias shared a small grin before turning back to their friend. "He would be honored to come to Princess' Christina's coronation."

"_Really?" _

_"Really." _Hermos whispered slyly. "Yuugi's coming to Atlantis and maybe you can catch a date."

"Do not tease me, Hermos." Timaeus frowned when Hermos chuckled at his excitement. "I am delighted to see Yuugi again and if I can gaze upon him, then that would be enough."

Much to Hermos and Critias surprise, Timaeus turned on his heel and started down the hall from where he came. "Timaeus? Where are you going?"

"Don't worry about it!"

"Do you think we shouldn't have told him that?"

Critias paused for a beat before shaking his head. "No, I think it was a good idea to tell him. He would love to see Yuugi again."

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><p>Princess Christina's coronation was the talk of Atlantis. People from all walks of life surrounded the palace like bees drawn to honey. No part of the Azure Palace was left empty as they gazed up in awe as Yuugi turned to the people with a small smile, his eyes and circlet gleaming in the sunlight. The Seer looked beautiful drenched in white and blue.<p>

"People of Atlantis." Yuugi began as the crowds voices lowered to a murmur. "I am honored to be standing among you all today after a tumultuous time. We have all suffered during the War of the Gods and for me to stand here before you today of all days is proof that we have bright future ahead of us."

Yuugi took the small velvet pillow from a guard and upon sat a silver crown decorated with sapphires just a deep blue as the sea itself. "I am here not as the Seer of Elysian, but as the Seer of Eternia. I am here as a witness for my country and the last of my people to see this wonderful woman ascend the throne as Queen. You may rise, Your Highness."

"I didn't know he was crowning her!" Timaeus whispered harshly, keeping his eyes on Yuugi as he removed the crown from the cushion. "Did you know about this?"

"Seers have always had extensive pull with royal families and apparently one of their duties were crowning the proper royal due to their visions. Or so the legends say."

Amazed at the information, Timaeus could do nothing but smile as Christina whispered something to Yuugi and Timaeus found himself under Yuugi's gaze. Timaeus smiled brightly, praying that his face was red with embarrassment, nodding his head at Christina and forcing Yuugi to return to his small duty.

"You will talk later?" Hermos asked curiously. "I can hardly believe that the little one is going to become an Emperor."

As the crown was placed upon Christina's head, Timaeus felt a swell of relief as the crowds erupted into cheers. It was a relief to finally have a Queen on the throne again. He wouldn't have to worry about Atlantis and her path. "Yes, we will speak later, but for now, let us celebrate the birth of a new Queen."

"And an Emperor?"

Timaeus grinned as Christina waved at them with excitement in her brown eyes. She never looked more beautiful in her white dress and silver crown on her brow.

"Yes, to the Emperor and Queen."

* * *

><p>AN: This is the last chapter. I promise.


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